Resurfacing
by Ladya C. Maxine
Summary: Kai and Tala were both victims of assault during their life in the Abbey. When Kai is kidnapped by Voltaire and Tala almost killed by Boris, it is a race against time to save them both.
1. chapter one

Title: Resurfacing  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
Rating: M  
Summary: Childhood horrors and secrets resurface for Kai and Tala when they fall back into Voltaire and Boris' evil hands.

Warnings: no yaoi romance, but contains m/m non-con (incest and paedophilia), language, violence, some drinking.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

A/N: (February 17, 2006) It's been almost 2 years since I've finished this story but it has been revised to remove errors and the likes. Nothing drastic, but seeing as this was of my earliest works and that my writing has improved over the years I want it to be on par with the rest.

* * *

**Resurfacing**

By Ladya C. Maxine

* * *

"Tyson wins! Tyson wins! The Bladebreakers are the new world champions! I can't believe it! What an upset! Viewers at home, I wish you were here! Listen to this crowd!" 

Brad Best was going crazy up in the commentator's cabin but no one in the arena could hear him.

What had just transpired had to be the most amazing battle ever in beyblading history. The spectators were on their feet, shouting and cheering. True, their homeland team had lost the title, but after such an intense and well-earned fight on behalf of the Bladebreakers there was no way they would not praise such strength and talent.

"Man, Brad! You have been in the commentator business for over thirty years but have you ever seen anything like what we are looking at right now? I don't think the arena can take much more of this! All this cheering could bring down the whole building! Unbelievable!" Topper shouted from beside his co-commentator.

"I have never, I repeat, N-E-V-E-R seen anything like this before! I have never seen the tables turn so quickly and powerfully! These boys went up against all odds and still came out on top! There is going to be some serious partying tonight Topper, I can guarantee you that!"

Down below in the audience the other teams who had come to watch their friends in the finals were ecstatic.

"GO RAY!" Mariah screamed at the top of her lungs while Gary waved with one arm, the other one holding Mariah before she fell of the railing she was standing on. Kevin was jumping up and down on his seat, pumping his arms in the air and hollering loudly. Lee was the most calm of the team but even he could not keep a wide grin off his face.

'I knew you could do it guys,' he thought.

Several rows below the White Tigers sat the Majestics. The four Europeans were pretty composed. Or, as composed as the adrenaline allowed, what with their fine upbringings. Johnny was leaning against the railing and whistling shrilly and Oliver and Enrique were clapping and cheering as refined as possible. Robert was smiling, obviously pleased that it was he who had taught Tyson to channel his emotions through his beyblade, giving it more power. Sensing the White Tigers captain's stare, Robert looked up straight into the orange cat-eyes. Shaking his head, he flashed Lee a thumbs-up that the lion bearer happily returned. Their attention was caught by a rather loud shout from above and to the left of the White Tigers.

"Way to bust a move, little dudes! That's **my** grandson who just wiped out that dude! I taught him everything he knows!"

Everybody around were paying more attention to where he was dangerously swinging his wooden kendo sword than his boastful words.

"Calm down, my friend, before you get a heart attack," Mr. Dickenson laughed beside him, clapping joyfully all the same. 'I am so very proud of those boys. They started off not even knowing one another and look at them now; they truly have become the world's greatest team.'

One glance to his left and he smiled at the look on Bruce's face. He had been gone for several years on his archaeological excavations and had barely had any contact with his son. No doubt that that was pride glittering in his eyes.

"You rock, dudes!"

Mr. Dickenson was about to try and calm the slang-slinging senior beside him again but this voice was younger and had come from behind them. The All Starz.

"Too cool!" Eddie shouted while he and Michael did a victory jam.

"You showed 'em!" Steve added in his deeper voice.

Judy had dropped all scientific protocol and hopped up and down on her high heels, clapping like any mom would.

"I'm so proud of you and your team, Max! I love you, honey!"

"Good job guys!" Emily hopped beside her, laptop forgotten on her seat.

No scientific research was needed to figure out how to react to such a world class battle. The match had ended fifteen minutes ago but nobody was leaving. The adrenaline was still speeding through everyone's veins. Most knew that there would probably never be such a match ever again, unless, of course, the Bladebreakers would be in it.

While the audience were excited it was nothing to be compared to how the actual new champions were feeling.

"WHOOOHOOOO!" Tyson punched the air rapidly, still on the blader platform overlooking the dish. "WE DID IT!"

"You the man, Tyson!" Max took a running jump, bowling over his friend and the two collapsed in a jumbled heap. "That was totally awesome! You won us the championship!"

"We all did it. As a team. But still...YEEEHAAAWW!"

The two friends hopped off the platform and quickly made their way to where the rest of the team stood. Neither could resist waving to the raving crowd. They had only been champions for a few minutes, which were easily the best few minutes in their entire lives.

"That was the greatest match you ever fought, Tyson! Dizzy and I couldn't even keep up with you!" Kenny, a.k.a. Chief, cheered as he ran out to greet them.

"Dizzy and I? Speak for yourself, chief," the female voice rang out from the open laptop.

"I can't believe it. We are the world champions! Us! World champions!" Max gasped, practically glowing.

"Yeah, it seems like only yesterday I held my first beyblade," Tyson said, a dreamy expression on his face before something hit him. "Hey! I guess this means we don't have to practice so much anymore!"

"Guess again," Kai said as he walked up to them, Ray leaning on him for support. The Chinese boy had been adamant to leave his team during the final battle despite his injuries.

"That was awesome, Tyson. You were just awesome," the golden-eyed blader smiled at his shorter team mate.

"Thanks Ray. We couldn't have done it without you either." Tyson then turned to his team captain expectantly.

"What?" Kai asked when he noticed the stare.

"Come on..." Tyson drawled.

"Spare me," Kai rolled his eyes.

"I can't hear yooouuu..." Tyson placed a hand behind his ear for emphasis.

Kai shook his head with a small smile. How on earth had he come to actually like, or at least tolerate, this team? Especially someone as lazy, annoying and gluttonous as Tyson?

"Congratulations, Tyson," he surrendered.

"And you are very proud of me," Tyson insistent.

Running his free hand through his blue hair, Kai sighed.

"And I am _remotely_ proud of you."

"And you regret calling me all those names."

"And I regret calling you _some_ those names."

"And you will let me sleep in as long as I like from now on."

"Don't push it."

"Aw, man. Well...handshake?" Tyson held out his hand. He recalled the numerous times he had done this only to have their team captain coldly shrug him off.

Kai contemplated it for a few moments before giving it a firm shake.

"Bear hug!" Tyson leapt forward and wrapped his arms around the older teen's upper body before the startled boy could react or step back.

"Group hug!" Max jumped in, followed by Kenny and Ray, who momentarily ignored his injuries. It wasn't everyday they could take their aloof leader by surprise.

"You guys are really pushing it," Kai said but made no move to remove them, which he could have easily done if he wanted to. 'Might as well get this over with. Besides, they did just win the world title.'

Still, he had to fight not to wince as their combined weigh placed some pressure on his frame and he couldn't help praying that the bandages beneath his clothes would hold up.

On the inside he was extremely proud of them. They had changed tremendously from the rag-tag group Mr Dickenson assigned him to about a year ago. Each of them had been so different from the other and it had been hard to find something they had in common. But as they had progressed from country to country, winning tournaments and learning new techniques, Kai started to see that they all shared one thing after all: The love of the sport. The need to hear the spinning air when they pulled the ripcord. The mesmerizing sparks that flew when the blades collided. The deep connection and faith between blader and bit beast.

"Okay, off," he waved them away when he started to feel the burning at the back of his throat from lack of air. He had to restrain himself from sighing gratefully when the pressure on his body was lifted as the others stepped back.

"So…what now? Do we get our trophy now? Cool, are we going to be on TV? With interviews and stuff?" Tyson eagerly searched the crowd for TV cameras and news crews.

"This whole tournament was seen worldwide via satellite. The whole world followed it day and night," Kenny informed. "Do you know that the tournament has been commentated and heard in over thirty different languages!"

"What about the trophy?" Tyson repeated, not really listening to the smaller boy's trivia.

"Oh, we'll get it in about a week."

"Wha? Why?" the Dragoon master asked crestfallen.

"Well, they have to engrave our names on it still and then it is given away during the official ceremony. There the former champions hand the trophy over to the new champions. That's when we will be officially crowned the champions and then the press will interview us."

"Hehe, I am gonna love to see the look on Tala's face when he hands that trophy over to Kai."

"Me?" Kai asked as he readjusted his grip on Ray.

"You're the team captain."

"I lost my match," Kai reasoned, albeit that it went against his prideful nature.

"Yeah, but if it weren't for you we would have never made it this far."

"Tyson's right. We always complained about the long trainings and stuff but we wouldn't have made it past the Asian tournament if you weren't on the team. I know that I speak for all of us when I say thanks. We really owe you a lot," the blond smiled cheerfully.

"Three cheers for Kai!" Dizzy exclaimed.

Tyson opened his mouth, ready to do just that but a gloved hand muffled the first syllables.

"That is not necessary," Kai warned.

"So what now?" Kenny asked.

"What now? What now! We celebrate, of course! I'm gonna take out the whole buffet table in one serving! Then we are gonna strut and laugh our way all the way back to the hotel."

"Or some of us could limp and pant," Kai said looking at Ray, who was relying on him to keep him upright.

"Oh man! I almost forgot! Sorry Ray," Tyson said sheepishly.

"Nah. No prob, guys. It's not so bad."

Kai snorted. Ray was definitely not a heavy person but the blue-haired boy could tell that his team mate was in need of more than a few bandages by the way he was leaning against him. His ankle was probably shot, not to mention all the lacerations and bruises.

"Hey, where are the Demolition Boys?" Max's voice cut through his thoughts.

Sure enough, the Russian team was gone.

"Man, what a bunch of sore losers. They didn't even congratulate us!" Tyson fumed, arms crossed.

"I bet you Boris is pretty mad at them," Kenny said.

"Well, they are gonna have to give us the trophy during the ceremony. Then I'm gonna rub it in," Tyson grinned at the idea of showing the other team, especially that snob Tala.

"Think they are going back to the Abbey?" Max asked.

"Guess so. Boris is probably going to train them to death now."

'You got the death part right,' Kai thought as he looked down the corridor that led to the Demolition Boys' locker room.

The others returned to celebrating their win but he could no longer share their victory. His team had won the championship. They had returned all the bit beasts back to their rightful owners. They had put a stop to his grandfather's insane plan of taking over the world. He was finally free of the place that had haunted the shadows of his memory his entire life.

And he felt terrible.

Punishment couldn't begin to describe what he knew was in store for his fellow Russians. Not with Boris. The man had no sense of humanity in him. He was mad and he was going to lash out at the same person he always did, especially since Kai was no longer there to serve as a whipping post. The same person who had suffered alongside him for years. The one person he trusted more than anyone, including himself.

'Tala...'

"You okay, Kai?" Ray asked when he noticed the strange look in his captain's eyes.

"I'm fine," he lied, mentally shaking the image of teary blue eyes from his mind. "Come on. We have to get you to the medics before you bleed all over me."

"I am not bleeding," Ray protested indignantly.

Kai raised a brow and gave his companion a brief look over. Most of Ray's white Chinese outfit was stained red.

"Okay, maybe a little," the tiger admitted.

"Sure," Kai decided to play along for now.

Giving the Demolition Boys' locker-room's direction a final look he turned and led his team to their own locker-room.

The cheering of the crowd never died down but he could hear nothing but a distant cry of pain and fear in his memories.

* * *

Outside the locker-room the peoples' cheer were deafening but inside the atmosphere was tense with uneasy anticipation. 

Ian, Spencer and Bryan stood to the side, the abbey guards standing around them, large guns held tight in gloved hands. Despite the uncomfortable proximity of the weapons, the three boys barely acknowledged them. Their eyes were trained on the centre of the room where one figure stood apart, unprotected, his blue eyes closed and his stance calm.

Despite his collected appearance, though, Tala was shaking to pieces on the inside. Calling up years of harsh training he was able to keep himself from expressing how he truly felt, for the sake of his team but he was scared. He had lost. He had lost them the title. And now he had placed, not only himself, but his team in harm's way. His mistake was guaranteed to get them badly punishment. Even Ian, who hadn't battled and Spencer who had won his match. Bryan had put up an excellent fight but that wasn't going to be enough to spare him from their trainer's wrath.

They weren't ignorant. They knew what others thought of them. Other bladers...other peers...the rest of the world. Everyone thought they were so cold and distant. Teens trained until all emotions had been wiped out of them. A group of hapless mind slaves with not but malice on the brain.

That was a lie. One big lie.

They knew emotions. They never smiled because there was nothing in their lives worth smiling for, but they personally knew the concept of shedding tears. Life had given them more than enough reasons to do so. They knew fear. It was that fear that made them strive to be stronger. Driven by fear, they were unbeatable. They trained harder with the knowledge that they would get beaten if they didn't meet the high set standards. The people at Biovolt controlled them through their fears and they had learned to live with the feeling.

But this was a different type of fear. It was the fear that everyone else felt. A sense of uncertainty and need for help. A sense that they didn't have any sort of grip on the situation. A fear because they didn't know what was to come.

Before Boris had barked at them to return to the locker room and wait for him while he went to explain their loss to Voltaire, Tala had given the Bladebreakers a quick glance to see the team crush Kai in a group hug. Watching the bluenette from a distance, he had felt a small thrill of relief in him. Kai was out. They couldn't hurt him anymore...

Approaching footsteps alerted him of their master's return and he tensed.

'Don't let them see that you're afraid.'

"Tala..." Ian stepped forward. He was worried to death. Nothing the rest of them were going to receive as punishment would equal what they all knew was in store for the team captain.

"Maintain your position, Ian," Tala said strictly, hearing the warning clicks of guns that now took aim on the short blader.

The smallest member of the team looked uncertain but a large hand pulled him back. He looked up at the large, muscled frame of Spencer who shook his head.

"Don't make the situation worse," the burly blond pointed out.

Bryan remained silent, watching the door of the locker room open as the knob turned. The pale blader appeared calm but his team mates knew him well enough to notice the uncommon tension in his shoulders and the uneasy light in his eyes.

The door finally opened and two figures stepped in. One was slightly shorter then the other, though still of an above-average height, and built sturdier. His black cloak and business suit made him all the more imposing as did his long grey hair. His face was stern and contorted with displeasure, crimson eyes narrowed in disgust and anger. Beside him stood a tall, thin man with purple hair, dressed in long, black robes, which made his pale features more apparent. His face, partially covered by a black, red-eyed visor, was narrow and his thin mouth was twisted in a scowl.

Tala felt the heat of their glares on him and it took all of his self-control not to step back.

"Lord Hiwatari...Boris," he acknowledged them with a slight nod of his head though he couldn't even look them in the eye and opted to keep his gaze on the floor beneath his feet.

Boris sneered at his prime pupil. Stalking over, noting with twisted amusement that this made the others tense, he came to stand before the redhead, who had yet to lift his head. Catching the boy's chin, he forced him to look him in the eyes, smirking when Tala began to unconsciously breathe faster.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Tala waited for the inevitable punishment.

'Please...let them just kill me.'

Tbc...

* * *

A/N: It is very annoying to have to keep referring to 'Tyson's grandfather' and 'Tyson's father'. Tyson's grandfather is simply Mr. Granger (Granger is Tyson's last name) and Tyson's father is called Bruce (since he is younger I will go by a first name basis). 

Read & Review, please.


	2. chapter two

Title: Resurfacing

Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine

Rating: M

Summary: see chapter one

Warnings: see chapter one

Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

* * *

"I'm so proud of you, Maxie!" Judy said as she pulled him into a tight hug again.

"Thanks, mom, but I didn't even battle. It's the other guys you should be congratulating," Max smiled.

"Oooh, aren't we being humble today," Oliver laughed.

An hour had passed since they'd left the arena and returned to the locker room where medics had immediately cleaned and bandaged all of Ray's injuries. The Drigger master had been stubborn and refused to go to the hospital and after some pleading words with Mr. Dickenson he had been allowed to remain with his team to continue celebrating. The old manager had then led them to one of the stadium's largest suites, only to open the door to find themselves assaulted by an avalanched "SURPRISE!" All their friends and families were there; The White Tigers, the All Starz, the Majestics, Bruce, Mr. Granger and Judy. The party had kicked off soon after and situated all over the place, some sitting, others standing, they were revelling in the final battle, each telling a different account or gossiping about who had betted on who.

The only person who didn't join in stood staring out the window, watching the night skies silently over his home town, his eyes overcastted.

'What am I going to do...? I can't leave them here. I can't abandon them for a second time.'

Voices from his childhood fluttered amongst the storms in his head, silencing everything else as they laughed and talked. Voices of his friends. His life-long friends. The happy voices faded in screams and cries. Pleas for mercy rang loudly. And amongst them was a single voice that stood out from the rest as it asked a simply question:

'Why did you leave me?'

Kai leaned against the window sill, fighting the self-disgust that welled up inside him at the innocent yet simultaneously accusing inquiry. He rubbed his eyes as the voices fell silent and the storm lifted, allowing the world around him back into his conscious mind though the experience still haunted him.

"Pizza!" Kevin announced loudly as he and Gary entered, both carrying a high stack of boxes.

Kai didn't turn from where he stood but was relieved for the distraction as the presence of food brought on a familiar reaction.

"Alright! I've got dibs on the first twenty slices!" Tyson shouted as he leapt over the back of the couch to get to the two pizza wielding bladers.

"Some things never change," Kenny sighed.

"Hey guys, you gotta hear this. When Gary and I were on our way back here we had to pass the Demolition Boys' locker room."

Kai blinked at the words and turned slightly, listening intently.

"So what did you hear?" Mariah asked while trying to get the largest slice of pizza before Emily did.

"Man, it was sweet. Boris was really letting them have it. I don't know what he was saying, he was shouting in Russian, but he was really pissed off! I would have paid a million dollars to see the look on those guys faces!" Kevin laughed.

"Well, it serves them right," Emily said as she snatched the pizza slice out from under Mariah's hand. "Those jerks think they're so special."

"I just hope that they've learned a valuable lesson in all this," Judy said from where she sat talking with Mr. Granger. "No one has the right to steal other blader's bit-beasts and no one has the right to look down on others."

"Yeah, but..." Ray said.

"What's wrong, bud?" Tyson asked around a mouth full of pizza.

"They may be mean and everything, but we have to keep in mind that that is all they know. They've were raised by Boris and he doesn't seem to me like a very good role model. Maybe we should cut them some slack."

At this Tyson choked on his slice and Steve had to give him a heavy slap on the back. Everyone else stared in disbelief.

"Earth to Ray, look in the mirror!" Kevin said.

"He's right, Ray. Bryan was trying to butcher you! These guys are simply evil by nature. I doubt that Boris had to put much effort into converting them," Johnny joined in from the bar next to Michael.

"Now, bladers, Ray isn't fully in the wrong here," Mr. Dickenson said. "We don't know much about their team so it is not in our rights to speak ill of them, even despite the fact that they are indeed very ruthless in battle."

"Ruthless? Man, those freaks are downright evil! Right, Kai?" Tyson directed his question to his captain but received no answer. "Kai? Hey, where did he go?"

The phoenix who vanished from the room without a trace or sound.

"Don't tell me he is going back to his 'lone wolf' phase again! He drives me nuts!" Tyson actually put down his pizza box and placed his hands on his hips, indignant.

"The last time I saw him was when Kevin and Gary came with the pizza," Emily offered.

"Yeah, then I started to tell you guys about the..." Kevin trailed off and everyone in the room came to the possible and sudden idea.

"Do you think it has something to do with the Demolition Boys being punished?" Eddie asked.

"No way! Kai couldn't care less about them," Tyson defended his captain.

"No, I think Eddie is right," Ray said. "Just before we left to go to the locker room I looked at him and he had this far off expression on his face, and he was looking in the direction of the Demolition Boys' locker-room. He looked kinda ... worried."

"Come on Ray. How can he be--?"

"Chill, little dudes. A word of wisdom, if I may?" Mr. Granger said as he drank his tea. "Now, if you dudes know your captain better than any of us here than you still don't know him at all. That dude keeps to himself and for a good reason. You forget that he was raised with those bad dudes from a kid and no matter how much he says he hates them he has a history with them. Even if he does hate them he is still human and he knows better than us what their punishment for losing will be. Kai has had a hard past and I believe that the Demolition dudes have had it just as bad, even more so since, unlike Kai, they've been there their entire life and still are."

Everyone fell silent in contemplation. Despite the fact that Mr. Granger could be a real nutcase at times there were occasions when his words made a lot of sense.

"Sheesh, I hate to admit it, but the old kook could be right," Tyson muttered.

"I'm always-- Who you calling old kook?"

"I never thought of it like that," Mariah said, feeling guilty. Her sentiments were shared by the rest.

"Now, now, there's no need to get all upset about this. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes and we don't know for sure how Boris is going to take the loss. The Demolition Boys are very valuable to Biovolt and he isn't foolish enough to bring harm to them. Let's not make this ruin our well-earned celebration," Mr. Dickenson said, hoping to lighten up the mood. "Now then, I believe I had promised you all a buffet dinner and I will keep to my promise."

"But we still have pizza, sir," Steve pointed out.

"What pizza?" Mariah asked. "All I see are empty boxes."

"Tyson!"

"What, Chief? Growing boys need nutrition, you know."

"You keep this up and you will be growing broader instead of taller," Enrique laughed.

"Hey!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? I'm starved," Oliver stood, straightening his blue coat.

"What about Kai?" Emily asked.

"Oh, if he's in one of his moods then you shouldn't expect to see him for a while. He tends to go off for days on his own and then suddenly appears out of thin air," Max assured.

"He's gonna miss dinner. Again. I don't know how he does it! Does he live on air or something? I don't remember ever seeing him eat an entire plate of food."

"Well, with you around Tyson none of us are ever able to eat an entire plate of food," Ray quipped as he accepted Lee's hand to help him stand. "Either you gross us out or you eat our meals."

"Ha-ha," Tyson said sarcastically. "Keep this up and I will really gross you guys out at the buffet."

"Don't you dare, "Ray warned.

"Try and stop me!" Tyson challenged and with a grin he tore out of the room and down the hall.

"Wait up Tyson!" Max laughed and ran after him.

"Why can't we ever walk, guys?" Kenny whined, running behind them nonetheless.

"I am really impressed by your patience, Ray," Robert said, watching the disappearing teens as he and the others followed at a much more reasonable pace.

"They grow on you after a while," the tiger responded from where he was walking with a slight limp next to Lee. "One moment your trying to avoid them as much as possible and the next thing you know their enthusiasm just hits you."

Just at that moment a couple of startled voices came from up ahead followed by a few "Umphs!" and the sound of three bodies dropping in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Upon rounding the corner the group couldn't hold back their fits of giggles and laugher. Kenny laid on his back, Max side-ways on top of him and Tyson on top of Max in a jumbled pile of failing arms and legs. A fourth person stood above them, looking down with an amused smirk.

Tyson looked up into the crimson orbs.

"Kai! Don't ever do that again! If you ever jump out on me again you're gonna scare me to death!"

"Thanks for the tip," the phoenix retorted calmly. "And I didn't jump out on you. I've been standing here for the past five minutes peacefully before you came barging down the hall."

Tyson growled but another voice broke in.

"Tyson, please get off us," Kenny squeaked from beneath the two older boys.

"Huh? Oh, hehe, sorry."

The dragon got to his feet and helped the others up.

"Ah, Kai. There you are, you had us worried for a while," Mr. Dickenson said, coming up from behind the group with the other adults.

"Yeah, you didn't even stay for the pizza," Eddie added.

"Pizza?" Kai simply looked at Tyson, then the rest and raised a brow. "And I supposed everyone got their share?"

"Was that a dis?" Tyson asked narrowing his eyes.

"Depends on you," the phoenix shrugged.

"So where were you?" Ray stepped in before Tyson could begin a tirade.

"I needed some fresh air."

"Was _that_ a dis?" Tyson asked, still suspicious.

"Whatever."

Kai turned to something on the floor behind him and held out his hand. There was a small whirling sound and out of the shadows Dranzer's blade flew straight into its master's waiting palm.

'Something is bothering him,' Ray thought to himself. 'Kai only spins Dranzer out of a bey dish when he needs to think.'

Being Kai's roommate since Day1 had given Ray an advantage that the others didn't have. He knew Kai better then anyone of the team, but it's like Mr. Granger said: If they knew Kai better then the others than they still didn't know him at all.

"Well, I'm not gonna let iceberg here stop me from complete buffet domination! To the battle vehicle! Charge!"

Again, Tyson took off down the hall.

"That guy is going to make one interesting champion," Johnny said with a bemused look.

"I'm almost afraid to witness it," Kenny said, checking Dizzy for any damage from their collision with Kai. Tyson had run into him first and that started a chain reaction. Kai hadn't budged from where he stood. It had felt like running into a wall.

"Let's get going before he eats the bus. Besides, I'm hungry too," Gary announced.

They started walking again but Ray stopped when he realised that Kai hadn't moved from where he now leaned against the wall. Peculiarly, Dranzer was spinning silently at his feet once more.

"Hey, Kai, you coming?"

"I'll pass."

His voice came out colder then he had meant it to and he saw Ray's smile falter somewhat. Softening his tone he said,

"I'm not hungry."

Watching the others as they walked away, Ray instead stepped up next to the phoenix, who gave him a silent look that inquired him to explain his actions.

"I just wanted you to tell you that...that I hope that they are going to be alright."

The words were unexpected.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent.

"You're worried, Kai. I can tell. And to tell you the truth, that worries me too."

Meeting the tiger's eyes, he then looked away again.

"Save your worries for more important things."

"I always do."

Again he met Ray's honest gaze but this time he sighed softly and looked as if he was going to continue the conversation but then changed his mind.

"The others are waiting for you," he said curtly and looked away, ending the conversation.

Taking the obvious hint, Ray nodded.

"Yeah, Tyson's probably eating the tires off." He smiled again. "We'll bring you something back, if Tyson leaves anything that is."

Kai didn't reply but watched as the long ponytail soon disappeared around the corner. When he was sure he was alone he sighed and focused his attention on his blade.

"They aren't such a bad group, are they, Dranzer?"

The phoenix's bit flashed and the majestic fire bird emerged, though much smaller then her battle size. She settled before her master and watched him with highly intelligent eyes, cocking her head to one side to show that she was listening.

"Tyson is annoying and Max is too hyper. Kenny is a geek though Ray at least acts his age, sometimes. But they are my friends, I suppose."

Dranzer squawked and walked closer to nuzzle her beak against his leg. Kai smiled and ruffled the flame-like feathers on her head.

"I'm glad that you are my friend too," he assured. "I always believed that power was everything, but, obviously, I was wrong. I can't understand why you still want me as your bearer after all the nasty things I said about you. You deserve someone better."

The fire bird gave him a sharp peck on his arm-bracer in protest.

"Fine then, guess we're stuck with each other."

His face sobered. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out something. Studying it, he slid down the wall and into a seated position as he looked at the piece of fabric in his hands.

"Some people are not so lucky," he said softly.

Dranzer eyed the object curiously then chirped in recognition. Sensing that this was the cause of her master's distress, she nibbled on his long scarf to get his attention. When he looked at her she cocked her head and touched the piece of material in his hand as if asking where its owner was.

"You remember him, don't you? You used to love to bother him when I was still in the Abbey. I can't recall the amount of times he had threatened to give you to the kitchen staff to cook you for dinner. Or the time you stole his blade and flew around the training room with it."

Kai smiled at the memories.

"Though you two did get along most of the time. The first time you met you mothered him a lot, afraid that he would get hurt."

The bird was confused and picked at the cloth again.

"He's not here. They went back."

Dranzer hung her head sadly but was more concerned for her master. Kai's eyes were shimmering. Something people thought he never did but the phoenix had been by her master's side every single time he had cried, which has been a lot more than he'd ever openly admit. She felt a maternal instinct to look after the Russian blader and would do anything to prevent those tears but sadly certain things could never be soothed, not even by her. With a cooing sound, she hopped onto his lap so that he could pull her into a hug. Kai made no sound as he cried but each teardrop that hit the floor echoed in her ears and she felt his pain. Nuzzling the blue hair, she simply sat there, offering her warmth and support.

After a few minutes the tears subsided and he released her. His face paint was smudged and he wiped it off completely with the back of his hands. Without the intimidating markings he looked so much younger.

"Thanks," he said with a small smile. "If only I was as good a friend as you."

He looked down at the small piece of torn material he had found in the abandoned locker-room. It had come from a white and orange shirt, an over vest actually. One that he could recognize in his sleep. The once white and orange colours were now overshadowed by a red substance that clung to it thickly. Blood.

Dranzer hung her head while her master studied the torn cloth. Slowly, he ran a finger over the fabric.

"Tala...I'm sorry..."

* * *

**_begin flashback_**

"Worthless child! Can't you do anything right!"

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, his breath hitching when she grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Me too; sorry that I didn't have an abortion when you were still in me!"

Too scared to resist, he was dragged by the collar to the open door before being roughly shoved inside the narrow closet. He turned to just see her scowling face.

"Leave this closet without my permission and you will regret it."

The door slammed shut, throwing him in complete darkness with pain and tears as his only companions.

**_end flashback_**

He jolted awake when one of the guards banged with his club loudly against the bars of his cell. Before he could fully return to reality he was roughly dragged to his feet and out of his cell. His back protested from the rough handling as wounds were stretched and pulled. The bruises on his arms throbbed from the guards' iron-like grip and his head swam from the pain and lack of food. He had to concentrate hard to do something as simple as walking.

"Wake up! Boris wants to see you," the guard on his left said and slapped him hard. Even if his hands weren't handcuffed together he would have been too weak to block the blow.

"It's too bad that Boris doesn't give us a go at this one," the other guard said as he wrapped his arm suggestively around the slender waist, stroking the soft skin that the torn shirt exposed. "One go at him would be worth a year's pay."

The two laughed as he lowered his head, avoiding their leering looks.

"Let go of him, you sick bastards!" Spencer growled from his cell, knuckles white as he gripped the cell bars.

"Shut up, you!" the guard snapped, reaching out to the wall and throwing one of the many levers for a short period.

There was the sound of electricity crackling and blue volts ran through cell's bars, followed by a blinding flash and the large boy was thrown against the wall at the back of his cell by the force. His head connected sharply with the concrete wall and he slumped onto the ground.

"Spencer!" Ian wisely stayed away from his cell's bars but he watched his friend's motionless form worriedly.

A sound of disgust from Bryan's cell opposite his got his attention and he looked to see the guards pushing Tala up against the wall. One of them was forcefully kissing the redhead while the other took the liberty to run his hands all over the quivering body.

Tala tried to push them off but he was too weak.

"S-stop..." he tried to command but was unable to find his once solid authority.

The men ignored him, continuing their lewd acts, joking and snickering as they enjoyed his futile attempts.

Ian was frustrated and angered at his own uselessness and one look at Bryan told him that the violet-eyed boy felt so too. Bryan was unable to watch his captain's assault and turned away but his eyes, infamous for their cold blankness, were wet. Of them all he was the most frustrated. As eldest he had always done what he could to be there for them all. Now, like so many times before, despite his best efforts, he could do nothing. Ian could feel his own tears forming too. When the sound of clothes tearing came to his ears he buried his head in his arms.

"That's enough," a cold voice rang out over the speakers on the wall. "Cease your mindless games and bring him to me."

Both guards snapped to attention at Boris' voice. They had forgotten about the hidden surveillance cameras.

"Come on, punk."

With an intentionally painful tug on the boy's wrist they pulled him from the wall.

"Soon or later Boris will tire of you, and when that day comes, then the real fun will begin."

Tala said nothing as they dragged him off to an even worse fate.

Tbc...

* * *

Read & Review, please.


	3. chapter three

Title: Resurfacing

Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine

Rating: R

Summary: see chapter one.

Warnings: see chapter one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or any of her characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

* * *

The office interior was even colder than outside due to the low temperature as well as the foreboding feeling of unwelcome that greeted everyone who entered. In its simplicity it was chilling, if not inhumane. The walls were bare. The room was sparsely furnished. A large, heavy desk covered with papers and envelopes that were neatly stacked. A tall floor lamp stood next to the desk. One of the walls was dominated by a large bookshelf full of books, schedules and plans. Many tended to overlook these everyday objects as it were the many bottles that captured one's attention, and fear.

Ranging from small to large depending on what they held they lined the shelf like artefacts proudly on display, each a chilling reminder of just how far the scientists here were willing to go to achieve success. In each bottle floated a small foetus, be it human or animal or a grizzly mutation of both, suspended in a clear fluid. The unborn creatures were horribly failed experiments that hadn't survived the process. Some had human bodies with an animal heads while others had small wings growing from their backs and claws instead of fingers and toes. A large aquarium on the opposite wall held the still-born body of a mutant baby whale. One of Seaborg's dead cubs.

As a young child he used to believe that the mere visit to this horror museum was punishment enough. He always feared that one day he would look into a bottle and find the creature/human inside looking back at him with an accusing glare, blaming him for its miserable existence. Blaming him for having survived where so many had perished. But most of the time, he wished that he was in the bottle. Safe from the hard outer world.

The only other door to the room was located on the farthest wall and it was that door that now opened as a man cloaked in dark robes and hood stepped out. With a flick of his wrist he dismissed the two guards, who obeyed and silently left, closing the door behind them, shutting him in with his trainer.

Boris calmly clasped his hands behind his back and moved to stand before the large windows, watching the snowflakes flutter by, purposefully delaying his lecture, knowing that Tala was hurting just from standing. He hadn't spoken to the redhead or the others since the night of their defeat when he had condemned them to hell and back. They had then been brought back to the Abbey where the guards had then taken over, beating the boys as direct result of their failure. That had been three days ago and every day they had been beaten for hours or forced to do strenuous exercises and given scarce food and water.

"I got word from Lord Voltaire today," he said not moving from where he looked out the window, "that he is calling off all arrangements and funds."

Tala remained silent.

"You do know that he was our most important financier?"

"Yes, sir," he answered in a voice that was hoarse from lack of liquids and tension.

"Without his money we are going to have to halt all experiments and work until we find someone else who is interested. Do you know why Voltaire has decided to break our contract?"

"He is not pleased with the outcome, sir," Tala whispered as loudly as he dared.

"And do you know whose fault that is?"

"Mine, sir."

"My, my, you are a clever boy."

"I'm sor--"

"Sorry?" Boris intervened with a disbelieving voice. "Sorry because you lost the title? Sorry because you have put your team to shame? Oh, but that's only just the beginning."

He turned and slowly walked over to his desk, very much aware that Tala looked ready to collapse at any given moment. He picked up a round object and held it up for the boy to see.

"What is this?"

"That is a snow dome, sir."

"I know that. Look closer."

Tala blinked several time to clear his blurred vision. Focusing all his senses he scrutinized the snow dome's contents. It was a small ball with blue and green colouring that represented oceans continents.

"That is the world, sir."

"The world...in the palm of my hand. The world that could have been in the hands of Biovolt. Years of research and millions of dollars have been invested in this project. Scientists and strategists from all over the world came to Russia to be a part of what should have been the greatest siege ever on the planet." He turned the small object in his hands, admiring it almost longingly. "Hundreds of children were recruited to train here under the best instructors. We have the latest and most powerful technology and have gone through countless experiments and data collection. All of this has taken Biovolt a lot of precious energy, man hours and money. All of that ...WASTED!"

The glass dome exploded on impact when he slammed it onto the hard polished wood of his desk. Jagged slivers of glass trickled amongst the glittery water as it spread over many papers.

Tala started badly but kept his eyes straight ahead on the wall even when Boris stalked over to him, ripping of his mask and hurtling it away, his own cold grey eyes flashing. Coming to stand just a foot before him, he towered over Tala.

"You humiliated me in what was supposed to have been my moment of glory and recognition! You made a fool out of me before the entire world that was supposed to be getting on its knees to obey my every command!"

"I'm sorry, sir." He lowered his eyes to the floor but his body trembled, scared and unsure.

"Sorry? _Sorry?_ That doesn't do me any good, boy!" Boris spat. "All you had to do was defeat a loud-mouthed, IQ deprived, inexperienced brat!"

"He caught me off guard, sir."

"'You had the power to defeat anything, whether you'd expected it or not!"

"But you said--"

He was cut off by a vicious backhand. The pain reverberated throughout his entire body and his legs gave way. He landed with a heavy thud on the cold floor. His wounds ripped open from the hard impact and he could feel his blood starting to soak in his already filthy shirt. An immense stabbing pain in his chest came around the same time. It wasn't long before he tasted the metallic taste of blood in his mouth and he coughed up a large glob of the crimson substance before it choked him.

"Don't you dare place the blame on me," Boris growled, glaring down at the hurting teen. "If it weren't for me you wouldn't even be alive. I should have left you to rot in that rat's nest that was your home."

Tala stiffened at those words and Boris knew he had struck a familiar nerve and grinned evilly. He knew his apprentice well. He knew how to easily hurt the young boy without laying a hand on him, though, of course, physical dominance was even better.

"You were such a small thing. Horribly thin and dressed in those rags you assumed were clothes. Your eyes had looked up at me so surprised when I had spoken to you. It had been so rare to you that someone would take notice in you and not your body."

He weakly curled up in himself, shielding himself from the prying eyes that gleamed as the man went on to remind him of things he had tried so hard to forget.

"Frankly, I'm surprised that you survived at all. No one took care of you. No one fed you. No one even knew who you were. Your own brothers and sisters didn't even know that you were their little brother. You really are the outcast, the black sheep, of your family."

"Shut up..." Tala squeezed his eyes shut.

"You don't even know your father. I truly doubt if your mother even knows, seeing how she whored herself around those slums in exchange for money or drugs. Your mother...hn...she was more than thrilled to hand you over to the Biovolt scientists for a few hundred dollars. She didn't ask, or care, what we planned to do with you. She never tried to find you afterwards. None of them did, because none of them cared. She hadn't even named you yet you were practically six years old."

"Stop it." A familiar tingling was growing behind his closed eyelids.

"It took our medics an entire day to patch up your wounds and it more than a month before we were able to denote your health as remotely stable. Your mother used you as a punching bag, when she remembered that she had a ninth child that is, and left you and your siblings to starve, forcing you to fend for yourselves. Your eldest brother, however, had a...sinful interest in you, didn't he? It must have been traumatizing to live in that house, knowing that he could get his hands on you and do whatever he wanted. How old were you when you experienced your First Time? 4? 5?"

"He...he..." Tala couldn't say more as a coughing fit hit him. More blood spilled onto the floor beneath him.

"Not that I can blame him. You were such a beautiful child."

He crouched down beside the boy.

"Despite your weakness, you still are such a beautiful child," the director muttered, running his fingers through the tangled, red hair. "Such delicate features...Such exotic eyes..."

Gathering the broken body into his arms, he stood, noticing how lithe Tala was in his hold. He stroked a blood stained cheek and laughed when the boy turned his head away. Carelessly swiping of all papers and documents from his desk, he laid the redhead down on it, who cried out hoarsely when the shards from the broken snow dome embedded themselves into his already bloodied back. His struggle intensified when he felt Boris' hands on him.

"...No..."

"Hush!"

Boris watched as the gorgeous teen writhe beneath him. Need fully, he started to remove his apprentice's clothes.

Tala hissed at the rough handling, trying to pry the fingers from the dirty fabric that offered him but a frail protection. The tingling in his eyes increased till it stung. Weakly, he continued to try to push the hands off him but was dealt a punch to his temple, dazing him. Boris went on speaking as he disrobed his pupil.

"Your brother wasn't the only one, was he? I recall your mother telling me that she used to let her male relatives as well as complete strangers fuck you for drugs," Boris taunted as he pulled the shirt off revealing a bruised but well-carved chest and stomach. "You fascinated me, young Tala. You had lost your virginity long before coming under my command, yet every time I take you your eyes still hold the light of confused innocence. Even now, after a decade, you do not understand why this is done to you."

The teen protested, his head still grieving him, when the buttons of his pants were torn open and the material yanked off him, leaving him unprotected and bare to the man. Through the haze of his mind he heard Boris undoing some of his own clothes.

"Can't you understand what it is about you that drive men like me to act out their darkest desires? Is it not clear that your smooth skin and warm body teases others? How can you not expect that it is only natural that you're coveted and controlled by those who are stronger than you? You will never be strong, Tala. No matter how hard you train. You are your own weakness. Your body betrays you to others. And the more you resist, the more desirable you become."

Dropping his head back, he blinked against the pain, and the wetness that was beginning accumulate behind his lashes.

"Are those tears?" Boris asked accusingly.

Grabbing a handful of fiery hair, he forced the fair face up. When he saw the droplets of water glistening wetly on the long lashes his eyes narrowed.

"Stop that."

"I'm trying!" Tala gasped, trying to call back the tears. However, the more he tried, the harder it was to hold them.

"Do as I say!" Still gripping the boy's hair, Boris slammed his head several times onto the desk. "Stop this pathetic display!"

"I can't!"

The floodgates broke and the tears came in torrents. Each representing his emotions times a hundred; pain, fear, despair, helplessness, exhaustion and many more he could not name since his head felt like it would explode with each bang against the desk surface.

"Weakling! You want to cry? I'll give you something to cry about," Boris growled and spread the slender legs, positioning himself between them.

Tala's mind was slipping into incoherency but he was brought back to reality when a sudden burning pain shot through his body as Boris tore into him. He couldn't even form any coherent words to express the pain. His body tensed at the torturous strokes and all he could do was sob and gasp as he pushed at the broad chest above him. It only served to waste his energy. Even though he knew how useless it was, he started to beg, to plea, for it to end. Be it the assault or his very life, he didn't care, as long as the pain went away.

"No!...Stop it!"

The sensation of the slender body writhing against him was intoxicating and Boris increased his thrusts, groaning as warm blood coated him.

"Help me..." Tala whimpered, which soon turned to a louder cry. "Someone...please help!"

His arms and legs were cut in several places by the shards and his back's wounds were smearing blood all over the mahogany desk. He could feel the blood staining his pale inner thighs and Boris' nails were digging holes in his shoulders. Through the pain and fear, only one coherent word came to mind and with a desperate shout, he begged for the one thing he wished was there.

"K...KAI!"

Boris grinned, even snicker. Crushing his mouth against Tala's bloodied lips he suckled the tangy taste on the boy's tongue. Pulling away he looked into the almost fully glazed eyes.

"You scream so nicely for your pretty friend, now scream for me," he ordered huskily and buried himself deep within the ravaged body.

Tala's final hoarse shriek was all he needed and he came hard and long, gripping the boy's waist and upper arm in a way that was sure to leave bruises, his eyes falling shut as he groaned. When his climax was finally over the only sounds in the entire room were his harsh breathing and Tala's moans. Nuzzling the sweaty neck, he nipped at the skin roughly, marking the boy once more as his. When his arms finally stopped shaking, he pushed himself up off the smaller body, staring down at the blader whose eyes were shut, tear lines streaking the pale skin.

"So innocent...So beautiful..."

When strong arms wrapped around him Tala was too weak to struggle, his head rolling to rest on the broad chest beneath which the dark heart pulsed rapidly in the wake of the man's climax. The slight rocking motion as Boris walked started to lull him into inevitable and exhausted sleep and his eyes drifted back shut. He didn't have to look to know where Boris was taking him. The intensity of the cold and the oppressiveness of the darkness were always more noticeable in the director's personal chambers. Unfortunately, he had been there enough times to recognize it.

He was briefly aware of being placed on the director's large bed. Opening eyes that were red from crying, he looked out the window that was high above him while he heard Boris remove the rest of his clothes. The moon shone high in the sky and he was reminded of Wolborg, who right now was no doubt undergoing gruelling modifications in the labs below. He missed his furry bit beast; missed the warmth the beast would offer him after times like these.

He worried about his team as well, if not even more.

Spencer was a loyal friend and protector, silent but always dependable to help. The big blond always looked serious but there had been times when he would smile with them, times when even the darkness of the Abbey never manages to hurt them. Bryan, as cold and ruthless as he may appear to the outside world, was a passionate person inside; a small part of his true, lively childhood still lingered in the dimmest depths of his lavender eyes, reminding them that he was, like them, just a kid. And of course Ian, who was like a little brother to him. Annoying at times, but trustful. For reasons unknown to the redhead, Ian looked up to him greatly, following him around and training with him. His team is the closest, and only, thing he had ever had to a family. To know they were suffering after having accepted him, the newcomer...the outcast, and were now suffering because of him only served to torture his already broken spirit.

Friends...brothers...

The bed dipped as Boris climbed onto it and he felt the man's heat against his skin. Another single tear made its way down his cheeks. It was just one of the many he had shed in his past; one of the many he would shed tonight.

'Kai...'

* * *

Dark lashes parted, revealing deep crimson eyes. They stayed trained on the roof waiting for the voice to speak up again but it didn't. Kai sat up and looked around in confusion. He maybe forced to listen to Tyson's ramblings 24/7 but he wasn't that crazy as to imagine voices...was he?

His heavy breathing alerted Ray, who opened one golden eye to find his roommate uncharacteristically looking worried and confused. Frowning, the tiger lifted himself onto one elbow, brushing his bangs out of his face.

"Kai?"

Looking down at him, Kai blinked several times.

"You okay?" Ray was confused at Kai's behaviour. The Bladebreakers' captain wasn't the most vocal person walking this green earth but he was never at a loss for words.

"Did you wake me?" Kai asked suspiciously.

"Huh? No way. Your breathing woke _me_ up."

'Then what...?'

"Kai? Kai, what's wrong?" Ray inquired, now sitting up, studying the silhouetted figure.

Shaking his head slightly, Kai decided it was best not to try and explain. Tyson already claimed him mental, the last thing he needed was to prove the pest correct.

"It's nothing. Go back to sleep," he said.

"But--"

"We start training in two hours. I don't want you nodding off during battle."

Kai laid back down with his back to Ray.

"Um...fine."

Ray blinked but laid back down also, still worried but not wanting to pressure the bluenette.

Kai waited until the tiger's breathing grew softer and regular again. Once he was sure that Ray was deep in sleep he noiselessly got out of bed and walked out of their room and onto the balcony. The cool night air blew over his body and he shivered involuntarily. Not from the cold though. Something was wrong and he couldn't place his finger on it. Closing his eyes in thoughts, he leaned against the balcony railing, the voice still ringing through his head, hurting and desperate.

'Kai...Kai...Kai...'

Red eyes snapped open.

"Tala!"

Tbc...

* * *

Read and Review, please.


	4. chapter four

Title: Resurfacing

Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine

Rating: R

Summary: see chapter one

Warnings: see chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write for the sole intention to entertain.

* * *

"And I want to thank my grandfather _(sob)_I never would have made it this far without him. I love you, grandpa! Oh, this is too much _(sob...snick)_ I love you all so...very...much _(sniffle)_"

"How much longer?" Kai asked the tiger, who was sitting beside him on the couch, almost pleadingly.

"I don't know, but this is way better then television," Ray laughed and cheered along with Max as Tyson turned on the table, blowing kisses to the crowd, which was nothing more than the furniture in their suite.

Four days had passed since their victory. Despite his earlier threats, Kai had allowed them the days off until after the ceremony. The day after the championship had been spent in the hotel room as the others regretted their pig-out the night before, though that did not stop them from going back later that day. Day two had been a bit more active. The other teams had come over. The day was spent talking and blading. Since the buffet chefs were probably fed up with them they had ordered pizza and Chinese food instead. It had been in the night of day three that he thought that he had heard Tala's voice and since then he hadn't paid much attention to his team's antics. He wasn't going to lie to himself and say that everything was alright. He knew Boris and he knew what went on in the man's sick mind.

"...And to the scientist of N.A.S.A who named a planet after me in my honour, I'll never forget you!" Tyson's voice was choked with imaginative tears as he fanned himself with his free hand.

Flowers in the other hand, which he had taken from one of the vases in the room, and a towel around his shoulders to serve as a cape, the navy haired boy was strutting up and down on the table he had pushed to the centre of the room to use as a stage. For the past half hour he had been practising his speech for the ceremony, thanking people, half of which were famous celebrities who didn't even know he existed, while wiping fake tears from his eyes and fanning himself in excitement. Basically, he was acting like the winner of the Miss Beauty Queen contest.

"...And how can I forget the little people who send me all those fan-mail? Special shout out goes to the presidents, the kings, the queens, the czars, the sheiks, the...Hey, what other rich people are there?"

"I think you have had enough practise for today, Tyson, how about calling it quits?" Ray suggested though he was wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Okay, but one moment while I accept our trophy."

Tyson dumped the flowers on Kenny, who was in a chair typing. Removing his cloak, he then took of his baseball cap and swept back his hair. Pulling two strands loose to hang before his eyes, he adopted a rather serious face as he spoke in a monotone.

"Bladebreakers rule. We suck. We give trophy to Bladebreakers."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he was imitating Tala and though Max and Ray cracked up at it Kai narrowed his eyes as Tyson continued to prance on the table like some nature freak in the meadows.

"Look at me! I have a big, bad wolf with freaky crystals growing out of its sides. My wolfie is baaad," Tyson drawled out as he played with the two strands of hair. "My wolfie can sit up and roll over and lose me the championship."

Max was hanging over his stuffed chair with laugher and Ray was faring not better. He still believed that the Demolition Boys weren't all that evil but this was too funny. Even Kenny started to giggle when Tyson pulled up the neck of his jacket to cover the lower half of his face, duplicating Tala's turtle neck over-shirt.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Boris, sir, I will help you take over the world, sir. I will use my pretty eyes to flirt the leaders into submission, sir." Tyson batted his lashes seductively while striking what he thought was a suggestive pose.

Max fell out of his chair, laughing. His laughter was cut short when a cold voice spoke up.

"That's enough, Tyson."

Ray looked over to the slate-haired boy beside him and his smile quickly fell from his face. Kai's composure was calm but his eyes were narrowed to the pinpoint of intensity and the crimson orbs were lit. Ray could almost feel their heat and wisely scooted away.

Tyson, unfortunately, didn't read the warning signs.

"Kai's my enemy. Kai is stronger, I wanna be strong too!" he whined and stamped his feet on the polished table like a spoiled brat.

"This is not funny." Kai's fists clenched even tighter, knuckles turning white.

"I should be stronger. I'm the teacher's pet. I'll do everything for Mr. Boris. Anything Mr. Boris wants. Mr. Boris can do whatever he wants with me because I--"

Before the dragon could even defend himself, or know what was happening, he was knocked/tackled off the table and pinned to the floor, looking up in shock into eyes that glared at him with a look that was dangerously bordering on hate. He could hear the others shouting in surprise but Kai's voice wasn't drowned out.

"I said drop it," Kai hissed through clenched teeth.

It took Tyson a few moments to get over his shock but he was soon able to form a few words that expressed his thoughts exactly.

"What the hell is your problem? I'm just kidding around!"

"Then get serious and quickly."

"Hey, guys, come on! Break it up!" Max tried to pull his captain off the navy haired blader but Kai was stronger and easily shrugged him off.

"Take those words back, Tyson!" he ordered.

"Why should I after all they've done? They almost took over the world! They hurt Ray on purpose! They're just a bunch of mind controlled creeps who like to hurt people!"

"You don't know anything about them! Now take those words back!"

"Like hell I will! And why do you care about them anyway?"

"That is none of your business."

"Are you still buddies with them?"

The inferno in the crimson orbs diminished drastically as the accusation hit home. Kai was left unable to answer and Tyson's eyes narrowed.

"Well, are you?"

Instead of answering, Kai stood and turned to walk away. Tyson quickly scrambled to his feet and roughly grabbed him by the shoulder, turning him around.

"How can we trust you if you keep switching sides?" he yelled in the older boy's face.

"Just stay off their case, Tyson. I'm warning you," Kai growled.

"We've stuck by your side through everything and you've never even said thank you but when I say one thing about those guys you get all defensive! We're your friends, Kai! Why can't you get that through you thick skull?"

"You're my team mates," he answered, shrugging the boy's hand off him.

"Oh, that's how it is, huh? Yeah, when we were going for the championships we were chums but now that you've got what you want we aren't important to you anymore, are we?"

"It's not like that and you know it."

"What have they ever done for you? If you are such great friends then why did you ditch them and come back to us?"

"None of your business," he repeated, secretly asking himself the same question.

"Why do you protect them? They got exactly what they deserved! Especially Tala!"

"Guys, let's stop this before you do something you will regret later." Ray came to stand between them, trying to block them from one another.

"I'm not going to regret this."

His left fist shot out pass Ray and caught Tyson in the eye with a sickening crunch. The boy cried out and fell to the floor, cupping his rapidly swelling eye.

"Tyson!" Max fell to his knees beside his friend. Angered, he turned to the team captain. "What is wrong with you? We're all on the same team, for god sakes!"

Kenny ran over and together he and Max helped Tyson to his feet and led him to the bathroom to find something for the swelling. The navy-haired boy continued to loudly curse as he was guided away. Ray turned to Kai, shocked.

"Leave me alone."

Kai turned and stalked off towards their room. It wouldn't have been very wise to approach Kai just yet so Ray decided to go and see if he could be any help in the bathroom.

The bouquet of flowers laid forgotten on the floor.

* * *

**_begin flashback_**

"Well, he is my son, after all. A nice fee is more than befitting."

"It would be, if you treated him like your son. To me he appears more like a burden to you than anything and I am more than willing to take him off your hands."

The woman took a thoughtful drag from her cigarette, running her other hand through her limp hair as she sat in the torn armchair.

"I don't see what he could be useful for, but I'll take money any day. What's your price?"

" 500."

She frowned, raising a brow.

"500? I have clothed and fed him for five years."

"Both of which you did half well."

" 1000."

" 600."

" 950."

" 700."

" 900."

"750 and that is my final offer. I'm sure you can get more than enough with 750 dollars."

"Deal."

"You've made a wise choice, ma'am," Boris smiled, handing her the envelope with money.

"When will you come back for him?" she asked with an indifference unbefitting of a mother.

"I wish to take him with me right now, if you don't mind."

"Take the brat. But don't come complaining when he proves himself worthless. I still don't understand what other use you see in him other than a messenger boy or slut."

"I've been working with children for a long time. I can see when a youngster has potentials, though I must admit your son is very easy on the eyes."

"If you say so," she shrugged, having counted the crisp bills. Turning in her seat, she craned her neck and yelled, "Boy! Get in here!"

He had been sitting the entire time in the hallway just outside the living room, listening to them bargaining. Jumping in fright, he timidly entered the room, coming to stand unsurely next to the large chair.

"You're going with Mr. Balcov."

No words of farewell or anything. Just the simple, yet hard and cold, facts.

"Yes, mama."

"He's all yours."

"It was wonderful doing business with you, ma'am," Boris said as he rose to his feet, holding out a gloved hand to close the deal.

"I have more than I ever wanted. In fact, perhaps you would want to look at the others as well? I have a girl just three years older than him," she plainly offered, the prospect of more money making her eyes shine.

"I fear I will turn down the offer. Girls are not what I am searching for and this little one here is of the perfect age."

"Fine, but do know that the offer still stands."

"I'll keep it in mind. Good day, ma'am."

With a slight bow of his head he turned and headed for the front door, stopping when the small boy remained standing, looking between the two adults with a torn expression.

"Come," Boris said gently.

Starting to follow the tall stranger, he turned to give the woman a final look but she was too intent on counting the money in the envelope once more.

"Bye, mama," he said hopefully.

She merely grunted and waved him off, having already erased him from her mind. Sweeping his eyes around the miserable place that had been his home during his short life, he fought the urge to cry and ran out after the stranger, who stood waiting for him next to a big car.

"We have much to do," the man said, opening the door for him.

"Yes, sir."

"Call me Boris. I prefer to keep my relationships with my pupils on a... personal level."

The house slowly faded from view as they drove off.

Next to his mother, no one knew he had left, but just like her, they didn't care either.

**_end flashback_**

Wearily, he opened his eyes when a sharp prick alerted his nerve system that something was being done to him, again. He turned his head to find one of the scientists from beneath the abbey injecting needle after needle into him. A guard stood close by to ensure he wouldn't try anything. The scientist picked up another needle and their eyes made contact. Her gaze was full of sympathy for the young teen but her job and life depended on her obedience to her boss. It didn't mean that she had to like it, though, and she felt another stab of disgust when he groaned and tried to pull away from her. His attempt was rewarded with a brutal punch to his torso. His hands were bound to the bed's iron headboard so he couldn't curl around the throbbing ribs to protect himself.

"Stay still, runt!" the guard barked.

In the distance he heard the door to the room open and heavy footsteps neared them. The guard jumped to attention and a voice he had feared since childhood spoke up.

"And?"

"Sir, he has received the shots you asked for. The minerals and vitamins in them will ensure his survival, though it is only temporary," the scientist said, keeping her head bowed in forced respect. "He is very weak, sir."

"I know he is," Boris said as he looked over his beaten apprentice.

"Sir, if he is such a...weakling, then why do you keep him? Surely it would be best to release him?" she suggested, hoping that maybe he would see things her way.

His answer was a ringing slap across her face.

"How dare you question me? Guards, take her away and dispose of her!"

As she heard the approaching footsteps she knew she had no way out of it. Standing her ground she decided to go down but not before voicing her thoughts.

"You fucking bastard! He is just a child! How dare you do this to him? I hope you burn in hell for you sick lust! You're a coward! A damn coward!"

The guards grabbed her arms and dragged her out but her screams were still loud and clear for several minutes afterwards as she continued to fight them down the hall. The explosion of a firing pistol finally silenced the lady and the building fell eerily still.

"Well, that was dramatic. You seem to have many supporters, my dear Tala." He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed the barely conscious blader's face. "My, my, didn't she have some ugly things to say about me? You don't believe them, do you?"

He pinched a cheek until it bruised.

"No..." Tala was just able to breathe out the words, his ribs still stinging from the guard's punch.

"You should," Boris grinned. "I do tend to favour pretty boys with a rather...unhealthy...lust."

Tala closed his eyes and turned his head away sluggishly as he felt the hands start to explore his ravaged body once more.

Tbc...

* * *

Read & Review, please.


	5. chapter five

Title: Resurfacing

Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine

Rating: M

Summary: see chapter one

Warnings: see chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

* * *

"Hold still, Tyson; it's only an ice-pack," Judy sighed as she tried to hold the boy's head still while applying the cold compress against his black eye. 

"It hurts! I'm going blind!"

"It was just a punch, not a bullet, you wimp," Michael argued as he helped Judy hold the navy-haired blader down on the couch.

"_Just a punch?_ It feels like a freaking train ran me over!"

"Cool! Any blood?"

"Kevin!"

"Ouch! What?" the short blader asked while rubbing his head, which Mariah had just thumped.

"I don't get it. Kai has a short fuse but I never thought that he would strike out at his own team mate, no matter how annoying Tyson can be."

"Hey!"

"My thoughts exactly, Robert," Oliver said, ignoring Tyson's glare. Turning to Ray and Max, the French teen asked, "What did he do anyway?"

Another howl erupted from the couch and Ray cringed before answering.

"Tyson was goofing off. It was funny at first and Kai didn't seem to care but when Tyson started to make fun of Tala...I guess he went too far this time. He made some crack about Tala and Boris and Kai just snapped. He tackled Tyson right off the table and pinned him to the floor, told him to take it back and when Tyson refused, he punched him."

"That was a cheap shot, by the way!" Tyson defended from the couch where Eddie had taken over from Michael. "He almost tore my head off my shoulder!"

"Awesome!"

"Shut up, Kevin!" Mariah and Lee said in unison.

"_What?_"

"Well, I can't say that you didn't deserve is, sport," Bruce said, leaning against the back of the couch.

Tyson looked up at his father with his good eye wide in disbelief.

"Dad! Whose side are you on?"

"There are no sides here. You were wrong from the start to mock Tala and you should have stopped when Kai told you to if he was obviously upset about it."

"Big dude is right, little dude. You were cruising for a bruising."

"Grandpa! You too? Isn't there anyone in here who feels sorry for me?"

"In what way?" Enrique couldn't pass up a chance to poke fun at the down and hurting blader.

"Of course we sympathize with you," Judy confirmed while she and Steve held Tyson down as he struggled to get to Enrique, who snickered in his chair. "But Tyson, it wasn't very sports man-like of you to do or say the things you did. You should take responsibility for your actions despite your inner conflicts."

"...Huh?"

"You have to apologise, brainiac," Johnny elaborated.

"Apologise? Me? I'm the victim here!"

Ray clapped his hand over Enrique's mouth, muffling another cracking comment, and tried to make Tyson see the light, despite his swollen eye.

"Look, Tyson, enough with the arguing. Just talk it over. Things like this shouldn't be left un-discussed."

Enrique pulled away and stuck his tongue out at Ray.

"You can't stay mad at him forever Tyson," Lee pointed out.

"You just watch me."

"Enough already! We're a team and teams shouldn't fight." Max became uncharacteristically serious as he looked at Tyson. "If you don't wanna apologize, don't. But you have to at least talk things through."

"Oh, suuure! I'll make some tea and bake some cookies and the two of us will sit down and have a nice little chat. Get real! Kai doesn't talk unless he wants to, which he never does."

"So will you consider it?" Kenny asked.

"I..." He sighed. "Fine, I'll do it. But I'm not gonna like it."

"Don't worry, we'll give you a treat if you do it. How about a nice, big frozen steak that you can put on that shiner?" Enrique laughed as Tyson ineffectively tried to get to him. Bruce took over from Eddie in restraining him since the American was getting tired.

"I guess we'd better be going now."

Oliver grabbed Enrique's arm and pushed the snickering Italian out the door. Johnny followed the two bickering bladers. Before he left Robert turned to the others.

"We have some things we still want to do in Moscow so we will meet again at the ceremony."

"Think you can find us? They say that there will be a lot of people there."

"We'll just look for where the lights will reflect off Tyson's eye!" Enrique shouted from the in the hall.

Robert sighed and closed the door as another tirade of curses poured out of Tyson's mouth.

* * *

**_begin flashback_**

_"You shouldn't have come."_

_The blue eyes that had been sparkling happily dimmed at his words._

_"B-but I thought you would be happy."_

_"I..."_

_"I thought we were friends." _

_The redhead's narrow shoulders slumped sadly and Kai felt a flash of guilt for having ruined the reunion._

_"We are," he assured, pulling the thin body into his arms, hugging the smaller boy. "You're my best friend. It's just that...Boris..."_

_"Isn't he nice?" he asked, smile back in place as he pulled out of the hug. "He showed me the whole Abbey and said that he's going to train me to beyblade! I've always wanted to learn how to beyblade! Maybe we can train together and...and...and one day, maybe we'll make it to the World Championships!"_

_Watching the newest addition to the Abbey roster, Kai didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. The frail boy looked more alive than he had ever seen him, excitedly talking about all the things he planned to do now that he was finally accepted somewhere. When the other turned to him expectantly all he could do was smile weakly._

_"Yeah, that sounds great."_

_Tala beamed, hugging him tightly._

_"I'm really glad I met you, Kai. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here."_

**_end flashback_**

_"...I'm really glad I met you, Kai. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here..."_

The night air was chilly as it blew across the balcony where he stood leaning against the railing as he stared absently out at the night life of Moscow.

_"...If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here..."_

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be there...Because of me..." he said softly, the words twisting to add to the measure of guilt he was feeling.

The glass doors behind him opened. Footsteps and the click of a cane on the tiled floor was all he needed to know who it was.

"I know I shouldn't have hit him," Kai said, not even turning around. "Regardless of what he said or did."

The footsteps stopped beside him and he could smell the cologne their manager always wore.

"Tyson may have offended you, or even hurt you, but you know he was only fooling around. I assigned you as team-captain to keep an eye on them, not take an eye out of them."

"How is he?"

"Oh, Tyson will live. I've known him to suffer worse." Mr Dickenson removed his glassed to clean them. "As sworn leader you--"

"I never wanted to be their leader to begin with. I blade solo. On my own without having to depend on others. That way I can either take full glory of victory or total shame of defeat in battle."

"You say that, but you don't really mean it," the elderly man replaced his glassed and watched him sideways. When Kai looked at him he continued, "You are a lone wolf, or so you make yourself out to be. I will be the first to agree that you do not fancy opening yourself to others. However, you need to be around others."

"That's stupid." Kai turned back to gaze at the streets.

"Kai, I have known you since you first started beybattling in Japan. You may have distant yourself from people but they are always there at the end of that long road. Your old gang, the Beysharks, the Bladebreakers...And somewhere inside I know that, disagree if you want, you hold someone very dear to you. Someone you trust above all others. Someone who has given you enough reason to put all your faith in him."

The blue-haired enigma didn't respond.

"And right now you are blaming yourself because of this friendship, aren't you?"

"He's hurting him."

Stanley took a deep breath and released it. He had feared that the children were being badly mistreated in the Abbey but without any hard evidence the police could not attain a warrant to search the place. This left the young boys training there at Boris and his men's mercy, which he doubted they even had.

"As I told the others, Boris won't harm them. They are very valuable to Biovolt."

"Not anymore. My grandfather's lawyers have managed to weasel him out of prison after he was arrested. I know him and he has no doubt broken off all deals with Boris."

"And the Demolition Boys..." Mr Dickenson looked at his young companion worriedly.

"They are nothing but his whipping posts now," Kai filled in, voice a bit shaky. He turned to the old manager. "Isn't there anything you can do? Why aren't the officials helping?"

"They need evidence. Evidence that they don't have."

"Evidence? _Evidence?_ What more evidence do they need? You have been monitoring the Abbey's activities since before you even formed the Bladebreakers! Boris practically gloated out all their secrets during the tournament! What more fucking evidence is needed? Four dead bodies lying in the streets? Hundreds of children burned alive in an 'accidental' fire? They are hurting every one of those kids in there and the officials are doing nothing!"

Kai brought his fist down hard on the railing, cracking the ice that had formed there. He was breathing heavily, shaken by his own outburst.

"Kai..."

The old man didn't know what to say. He had never seen the team captain this distressed and was unsure on how to address him. This side of Kai was completely alien to him.

"They are hurting them...He is hurting him..." The voice was soft and the long, grey bangs hid the eyes yet Mr Dickenson saw the stray tear fall.

"I'm sure Tala will pull through. He is strong."

The phoenix's eyes remained downcast.

"You just don't get it, Mr. Dickenson. You can't begin to understand what goes on within those walls..."

"I would if you'd tell me. I want to help you, Kai, but you are making no sense. Are the children of the Abbey being beaten? What types of experiments are being done to them?"

"You wouldn't understand," he insisted.

"But..." he tried to lay a hand on a shoulder but Kai shrugged him off in an unexpected show of tension.

Kai backed away a bit. He couldn't explain why, but the physical contact had rattled him. The hand on his bare skin had sent a tingling jolt through him.

Stanley was at a loss by the strange defensive nature of the boy.

"Calm down, Kai. I only wish to help you."

"Don't touch me."

The topic...the touch...the...the...the moment...Nothing was making sense anymore. He couldn't even think rationally. His mind felt cluttered by an onslaught of thought and memories. Memories he had buried for many years were resurfacing rapidly: the pain, the fear, the shame, the loss of hope, the loss of innocence, the loss of want to live...

Stanley watched on. His concern heightened when the teen began to tremble.

"Take it easy, Kai. I am sorry if I have upset you. Just please, calm down."

He stepped forward.

Reality...Memories...He couldn't discern the two anymore. Which was real? He couldn't pull himself together. He lost what little focus and immediately the nightmares took over, transferring his mind back to when someone else had cornered him, just like this. A worker in the dungeons that had been the only home he had ever known. He had been but eight and the man around thirty. A grown man, married and with a family, with children of his own, had sated his need on a child in one of the many dark corners of the Abbey. He could still smell the dank odour of the corner he had been forced into. Those hands had held his shoulders as they pushed him on to his knees. It hadn't been the first, or the last, time he'd found himself in such a situation. A worker...A scientist...A trainer...Boris...His grandfather...

"Stay away from me!"

His back was against the balcony wall and he jerked at the feeling of the coldness that seeped through his shirt.

"Kai? Are you alright?"

The boy was acting strange and the old man feared that he may have been outside in the cold for too long. Placing a hand on a bare shoulder once again, unintentionally only making the situation worse, he intended to bring the boy indoors.

"Why don't we get you inside? You can trust me, Kai."

That word...The hands...

"No! You're lying!" he shouted, yanking himself free from the elder's hold. "I don't trust anyone!"

Someone entered the suite behind them and Kai used the distraction to dash around and pass the manager.

"Kai! No, wait!"

The manager knew he had no chance of catching up with the youth but luckily the much needed solution turned the corner in front of the fleeing blader.

"Mr Dickenson, are you alright--Whoa!"

Bruce had to put his arms out to prevent Kai from barrelling into him. The teen hadn't counted on there being someone there so the inevitable occurred: they collided.

"Hold him down, Bruce!" Stanley ran up to them, puffing.

"Huh?" the man blinked as he stopped his attempts to detangle himself from the phoenix's scarf, which had gotten caught beneath him. Kai was practically choking himself as he struggled to get free.

"Don't let him leave! Hold him down!"

Not really sure why he was doing this he grabbed hold of the writhing body nonetheless and pinned the phoenix to the floor.

"No!" Kai howled and began thrashing within his grip, catching the man on the cheek with a wild punch. Now Bruce understood Tyson's statement of the train. Kai's punches, intended or not, were hard.

"I can't hold him forever! What's wrong with him?"

Kai's struggled were getting more and more desperate, and dangerous. The red eyes were blazing, searching for a way out.

"I wish I knew but I can't get him to tell me. We must keep him here until he calms down."

Bruce managed to grab a fist before it connected with him again.

"Easier said than done."

"Let go of me!"

"Kai! Snap out of it!"

Hoping to restrain the teen better, Bruce shifted his weight onto the full length of the blader's body.

The pressure of the grown man's body on his made Kai gasped.

'No...this can't be happening...Not again...'

The move seemed to work and Bruce sighed in relief. However, a new sound caught his attention and he looked down in shock as the crimson eyes stared up at him wide, scared and shimmering with tears. Kai's breathing was laboured, not from his struggle but from fear.

"Get off me..." his voice was just above a whisper.

"Kai? What are you talking about?" Stanley asked as he moved to stand beside the boy but Kai didn't notice him, still caught up in his childhood nightmares.

"No...Boris...let us go..." Kai whimpered and tried to squirm away from beneath him.

"Boris?"

Both men shared a troubled look. What did the director have to do with this?

"Please...I...don't..." He broke off and sobbed. He turned his head to one side in a display of what appeared to be submission. "Don't touch me...Stop touching me...Leave us alone..."

Realisation dawned at the same time on both men as the words sank in. Bruce turned to the older male, disbelief on his rugged features. Before their very eyes Kai's own eyes lost focus and closed, his head rolling to one side. He had fainted.

Mr Dickenson was just as affronted as he was but he pushed these emotions down long enough to say,

"Lay him on the couch and give him some air."

Bruce asked but did as he was told, lifting the smaller body easily and bringing him over to the sofa. Assured that the phoenix was comfortable, he turned to Stanley.

"Is it what I think it is?"

"Assaulted," Mr Dickenson said, the words still unable to truly register as believable to his own mind. "He's been a victim of sexual assault."

"Shit," Bruce breathed. His jaws clenched and he looked back down at Kai but he didn't budge. "Are you sure? I...I can't imagine him hiding something like this from anyone. When? For how long?"

"Since childhood, I fear. Before he panicked he had been telling me that the children in the Abbey were exposed to those who worked there. I didn't understand what he had meant and when I tried to approach him he lost it." He gripped the cane hard. "Why hadn't I noticed it sooner?"

"But this is Voltaire's grandson!" Bruce barked. "Surely he isn't that heartless as to allow something like this to happen to his own kin? His only living kin, at that!"

"He is as heartless and cold as the mountains. But what disturbs me as well is that Kai mentioned a specific name."

"Boris...that bastard!" Bruce's hands fisted.

He had felt strong dislike towards the Abbey director since the day they first met in the library. There had been something about the man that had set off a warning in his head. The man had appeared sneaky, cold and dangerous. One that no adult in his or her right mind would trust with anything. But a child abuser...It had never crossed his mind. Now, the more he thought it over, the greater the nausea bubbled within him. A sexual predator...in charge of an Abbey? The sole 'parental' figure who had total control of all those youngsters.

"This is despicable! How can a man like that be allowed anywhere near children?" Stanley voiced their fears out loud, pacing as he tried to come up with an answer to his questions. "Is he still preying upon them? Are they..."

_"...He's hurting him..."_

"The Demolition Boys! Good heavens..." he breathed, finally realizing just how wrong his belief in their safety had been. They were still in the Abbey. They had lost the championships. And Boris was angry. Everything added up to a thought that made him shudder.

"Are we going to tell the others?" Bruce asked as he started to undo the long scarf around Kai's neck.

"No. Kai would never trust us if we reveal this to anyone without his permission. The best thing we can do is call the authorities. However, they won't be able to do anything since this appears to have happened a long time ago and there is no lasting evidence."

"You're wrong," Bruce said from behind him and he turned to see the man studying something on the teen's neck. Looking up, his face was grave as he shifted to give him a better view.

The pale skin that the scarf had been loyally protected all this time was covered with ugly blue and purple bruises. Long lines that looked like healing scratch marks made their way from below the jaw to beneath the black top the boy wore. On the right side where the neck met the shoulder was a large, angry mark. Teeth marks.

Bruce's voice was trembling with suppressed anger as he spoke.

"Looks like Boris gave Kai a fare-well gift."

* * *

The large, dark room was silent as the night wore on. Moonlight filtered in through the window and cast a soft but cold glow into the chamber. Caught in its beam were two figures that lay in the large bed. One was contently asleep on his side with both arms wrapped possessively around the second body. 

Tala slowly opened his eyes, not needing any time to adjust to the dark. He had been here for probably three days now with no food and one cup of water per day. His muscles were stiff from lack of movement and his cuffed hands had long lost feelings in them. The injuries he had sustained from his beatings were healing too slowly because of lack of nutrition. But the worst injuries recurred every night when Boris retired to the bedroom after working all day.

'Guys...I hope you are okay. I'm sorry that I couldn't be stronger. I just pray that someone will come and put a stop to Boris and his followers...I fear that I no longer can...'

The man behind him mumbled something incoherent and pulled him closer, strong arms causing the injuries to sting and some even break and bleed. A mouth found his neck and suckled at it lazily before falling still as the man drifted back off to sleep. Tala let out a silent breath of relief. He had feared the man would awaken and take him again like he always did. He didn't have the strength to go through another round for tonight.

'I just want to get away...Why can't I leave...Why...?'

Pain finally took its toll and his vision went black.

Tbc...

* * *

Read & Review, please. 


	6. chapter six

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unknown characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
*****************  
  
His eyelids felt heavy, as did his mind. A thick fog hung suspended over his thoughts for many minutes until the mist cleared and he could hear voices speaking from somewhere above him. They were familiar and comforting as they called out to him.  
  
"Kai? Come on, lad. Are you awake?"  
  
"Mr Dickenson?"  
  
His eyelids protested but he opened them anyway against their will to stare up into their team manager's face. Why was he lying down to begin with anyway?  
  
"It is okay, Kai. We are not going to touch you," the elder spoke as if he was trying to calm a frightened animal, his hands held up in a gesture of peace.  
  
Kai felt the fog returning but this time he was successful to avoid it. Moving he noticed that he was laying on a bed, the soft mattress sinking as he placed pressure on it.  
  
What the heck was going on? What had happened? Had he been in an accident? Why couldn't he remember the recent events?  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
He looked up to see Bruce come into the bedroom carrying a cup of tea on a small dish which he placed on the nightstand beside him.  
  
"What going on?" he asked, ignoring the first question.  
  
"We were wishing that you could tell us."  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about." He turned to the elderly man/ "I said I was sorry about Tyson's eye."  
  
"Don't try to change the subject, Kai."  
  
"What subject?!" This was getting really old, really fast.  
  
The two older males didn't say anything but looked pointedly at him, their eyes held sympathy and anger, the former directed towards him, the latter to some unlucky being who had somehow managed to spurn anger in the normally cheerful men.  
  
Unable to keep their gazes, he looked down and it was then that he realised that his top was missing, leaving him bare-chested.  
  
The dark bruises that had been taking forever to heal were now of a blackish colour and the bandage he had wrapped around his waist less than a week ago had been changed and he felt the sting of fresh antiseptic fluids that had been rubbed to clean the wound to his stomach. His neck too was left unprotected, displaying the scratch-marks and 'love-bite' prominently.  
  
His shameful secret that he had been hiding ever since their first trip to the Abbey was now in the open and he felt the panic and humiliation start to rise in his chest. Unconsciously, his arms folded over his chest to cover himself but the damage had already been revealed. He refused to look the adults in the eyes as he spoke.  
  
"Boris had me beaten when I returned to the Abbey," he said, trying to sound indifferent.  
  
"Kai, do not lie about this. We know what happened."  
  
"Nothing happened. He was angry because I had left so he had the guards punish me. That's it." In his mind he kept assuring himself that they were just guessing and would stop once he convinced them...or so he hoped.  
  
"Those marks on your neck are no beatings. Someone touched you, Kai, and I know it was done against your will."  
  
"Who gave you the right to undress me?!" He turned his back to them, shaking as he felt his resolve slipping more and more. "You had no right to do that! You had no right to pry into my personal life!"  
  
"You're right, but we do not regret it."  
  
He heard Mr Dickenson rise from the chair he had been sitting in by the window and slowly come to stand nearer. He stiffened and took a step away, arms tightening more as they cradled himself.  
  
"What happened to you in the Abbey, Kai?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Then why are you injured?"  
  
"It's none of your business."  
  
His breathing hitched as the awful memories returned; Boris cornering him in the locker room and slamming him up against the walls before...  
  
"Just leave me alone!" Human emotions are incapable of being controlled and a sob came involuntarily from him. "Leave me alone..."  
  
The teen's back was still turned to both adults who shared a concerned look.  
  
Mr Dickenson knew he had to tread this terrain carefully; Kai was one who protected his privacy with fiercely but now the defences were slipping and this could be their only chance to reach out to him.  
  
"Why do you always want people to leave you alone, Kai?"  
  
"Because then no one is there to hurt me. No one can touch me..."  
  
"I know you must think that--"  
  
"How would you know?!" he spat venomously. "You don't know what it's like! You don't know what it's like being afraid to walk through those dark halls alone knowing that one of the guards can simply drag you off to some side- room and do what he wants to you! You never held your best friend in your arms while he cried after spending 5 hours in Boris' personal chambers! You can never understand how it felt like to be only five years old and be raped by your own grandfather! You don't know anything!"  
  
With every sentence, every word, every letter that came out of the bluenette's mouth, the adults could picture these chilling events and it stunned them beyond comprehension. Was there really such a horrid place nestled in this country? In this city?  
  
Mr Dickenson watched the young blader with fatherly eyes. He was the only one who knew that Kai had been handed over to his grandfather at a very young age after his parents' 'mysterious' deaths. To think that Voltaire had Kai under his lusty eyes and hands for so long was sickening. And to afterwards be brought under Boris' care...  
  
Risking the boy's wrath, he stepped to stand behind Kai and taking the bruised shoulders gently he turned the teen around to face him. Kai immediately stiffened at the contact and tried to pull away but he didn't relinquish the hold. The bluenette was still unwilling to meet his eyes so he reached out he gently took hold of the chin and lifted the painted face.  
  
The red eyes shone bright with unspent tears. Soft sobs tried to make their way out however he held them back; not wanting to appear weaker then he had already allowed himself. The slender body trembled as another sob escaped, louder this time.  
  
"Oh, Kai..."  
  
The man drew his young charge into an embrace and rubbed the boy's back in a fatherly manner, trying to sooth the distraught youth. He felt arms wrap around him and he allowed the teen to cry out all his fears and pain. Casting a look at Bruce he could see the emotions flashing through the built man's eyes.  
  
Being a father himself, Bruce loved kids and cherished them, be they 2 or 20. His relationship with Tyson was the most precious thing he owned and he was outraged that a man would allow others to hurt his own grandson like this, much less be the one doing the most damage himself.  
  
For many minutes he let out all his grief which he had been holding in for many days, months, even years. He rested his head on the elder man's shoulder, his tears sliding down his face, turning blue as they ran over his face-paint, and seeping into the collar of the man's costly business suit.  
  
He remembered, a very long time ago, being held like this by his mother whenever he was upset. A sudden pull on his heart came as he could still remember her face and voice.  
  
She was gone.  
  
They were gone.  
  
They had left him all alone at Voltaire and Boris' mercy.  
  
When the sobs finally subsided Kai pulled back slightly, ashamed of his behaviour.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr Dickenson."  
  
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Kai," the elder soothed as he pulled out a hanker chief for him to wipe his face clean of the blue streaks.  
  
"I lied to you. I've been lying all these years. And because of it I couldn't control my temper and I hit one of my own team mates..."  
  
"I understand, Kai. And it isn't your fault."  
  
"It is! That's what *he* always says..."  
  
As he said those words he recalled the horrible night many years ago with his grandfather that had started the nightmare that has haunted him all this time...  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
The door to his room opened and the six year old turned over in his bed, thinking it to be one of his grandfather's many servants coming to put away his clothes or something.  
  
Instead of a man or woman in uniform, however, there stood his grandfather's imposing, broad figure that almost filled the entire doorway.  
  
"Grandpa?"  
  
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he raised himself onto his elbows, but before he could get up the grey haired man slammed and locked the door. Taking long strides, he neared the bed, removing his coat and shirt as he walked.  
  
The smaller male backed off in apprehension.  
  
"Grandpa? What's wrong?"  
  
His question was ignored and he felt an unexplainable stab of fear as he watched the elder male. Something wasn't right here and he had to get as far away from this man as possible.  
  
Scrambling to kick the sheets off his feet he almost made it off the bed when a broad hand grabbed his ankles and yanked him backwards. Soon the hand was joined by its partner and both moved up, pass his calf, his knees, his tights and coming to rest on his hips, thumbs rubbing the skin through the pants' fabric.  
  
That suddenly changed when the fingers tightened and ripped the material away. Slipping in between the now bare legs the hands parted them, allowing the man to sink in between them.  
  
"Grand--hmpf!!"  
  
A broad hand covered his mouth, silencing his questions. Only able to stare up with wide eyes, he felt the other hand run familiar patterns over his exposed flesh.  
  
"So soft... So tender..."  
  
It wasn't the first time this had happened but his grandfather had never touched him this intimate before, running his hands deeply between his legs and his buttocks, groping them almost hungrily.  
  
"I waited for so long to do this... Too long..."  
  
The hand on his mouth was removed as the elder Hiwatari sat up, still pinning the boy on the bed, and began to remove his belt and undo his pants' button.  
  
"Are you a good boy, Kai?" he asked huskily, drinking in the sight and feel of his only living relative beneath him.  
  
"Y-yes, grandfather," he answered, unsure what this was all about.  
  
"You would never do any to make me angry at you, would you?" He slipped his pants down, freeing his desire.  
  
"N-No, g-g-grandfather."  
  
"Then I need you to be very quiet for me. Can you do that, Kai?"  
  
"Yes, grandfather."  
  
"That's my boy..." he trailed off and began to kiss the smooth cheeks softly, running his tongue over the sweet skin before pulling away to turn the child over onto his stomach.  
  
"Are you cold?" he asked when a violent shiver ran through the small body. Pulling the bluenette flush against his body, he nipped at an earlobe before whispering, "I'll make you warm again."  
  
This was wrong. So wrong. His grandfather had touched him before, had taken off his clothes before, but to feel the older man's nakedness pressing against him was making him feel very uncomfortable.  
  
Discomfort would be soon proven to be the mildest of his problems.  
  
"Mine...You're mine. After waiting so long I finally have you..."  
  
Positioning himself, he wrapped both arms tightly around the boy's frame, ignoring the gasps for air as he squeezed the small chest too hard.  
  
"It took me a lot to get you. No one else will ever have you. Not ever."  
  
"Gr-Grand *gasp* Grandfa--"  
  
"Hush, my boy. You are mine. Mine...Mine!!"  
  
He scream of pleasure was overruled by Kai's shriek of pain as he was impaled by his own grandfather, his already tainted innocence completely destroyed by the violent entrance that tore the soft skin and drew blood.  
  
Growling, Voltaire grabbed the child's head and twisted it painfully to meet his eyes.  
  
"I...Uh...Said...Unh...Be...Unh...Quiet!!"  
  
Smashing his mouth against the child's, he drove his tongue in, gagging the screams as he plundered the struggling body beneath him.  
  
The pain. The pain was so bad. He couldn't take it. He couldn't! The burn was killing him and the thrusts tore skin every time. But he couldn't escape. No matter what, his grandfather was too big and too strong, trapping him beneath him, smothering him.  
  
'Mama...Papa...help me!'  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
"I think it would be best if you take a seat, Kai."  
  
The boy allowed the man to lead him back to the bed and sat down. A shadow fell over him and a hand offered him a blanket. Daring to look up he met Bruce's stare and with a small nod of gratitude he wrapped it around him, effectively hiding the state of his body from view. Again the hand came before his vision but this time it handed him the cup of tea Bruce had brought in earlier.  
  
Taking a tentative sip from the steaming liquid he said in a small voice, "Please don't tell the other."  
  
"The both of us already agreed that we wouldn't. But this can't go on any longer, Kai. We must alert the authorities."  
  
Now that his secret was out that suddenly didn't seem like such a good idea.  
  
"But..."  
  
"I know that this is very hard for you, but you must do this. Think of all the others who weren't as fortunate as you to escape the Abbey and are still in there. Think of Tala."  
  
That was all he needed to change his mind. Fuck whatever people would think of him! He could not leave his friend like that.  
  
"Okay, but give me till tomorrow night."  
  
"Why tomorrow?" Bruce questioned, his cell already out as he had been in the process of dialling the police.  
  
"Tomorrow night is the ceremony. I have to alert Tala and the others to be on their guards. If you call the police now you risk that Boris will find out before they even reach the Abbey. That man would do *anything* to keep himself out of trouble with the law. The police would probably arrive to find all the kids dead, no witnesses left to use against Boris and Boris would have been long gone by then. So please, wait until the ceremony tomorrow night."  
  
"Alright then. We will wait. Now I suggest you get some more rest. It will be another few hours before its morning and we have a lot of planning to do," Bruce nodded.  
  
"Kai, I know how hard this must be for you, but I need you to answer a few questions for me," Mr Dickenson said, eyeing the phoenix for any sign of another fright attack. "Will you answer them?"  
  
Putting down the cup before he dropped it, he swallowed hard but nodded, though silently.  
  
"How long has this been going on? For you?"  
  
Shame painted a red shading over his cheeks and he was tempted to not reply but he owed that much to the manager to help out as much as he could.  
  
"Voltaire...took me when I was five, but...he had touched me before that."  
  
"When was the last time he touched you?"  
  
"A couple of days before I rejoined the Bladebreakers."  
  
This was hard for the bluenette and Mr Dickenson hated to do this to the already hurt teen but he needed information if he was going to convince the authorities.  
  
"And Boris?"  
  
"Not so much as Voltaire. When...when I was first brought to the Abbey and while training there he would make me come to his bedroom a few times and...h- he would touch me during training...and kiss me. But Voltaire had...'claim' over me first."  
  
"And the other children? Where they also...?"  
  
"Everyday. Mostly by the guards. But I don't know any personally; everyone kept quiet about it or they would get punished even worse."  
  
"Have any of the Demolition Boys ever been..." he decided to might as well say it, "raped?"  
  
Kai visibly flinched at the word.  
  
"Ian and Spencer haven't, not that I know of. They've been touched a few times but never...that."  
  
When the boy felt silent both men knew that the other two bladers had not been so fortunate. Kai's words proved them correct as he finally spoke.  
  
"One time Bryan was called to the labs for some unexplained reason. Alone. He came back very soon, far too soon if he had to have done any experiments. He wouldn't tell us what had happened but we knew. The way he walked and the way he refused to let anyone of us touch him for weeks were more than enough."  
  
"Tala?"  
  
A distant cry accompanied by bleary blue eyes clouded his vision for a moment.  
  
"That's the second reason why Boris didn't touch me so much. He...He had Tala. He still has him. He still hurts him..."  
  
Tears began to stream and Mr Dickenson ended any other questions he may have asked; the bluenette had been through enough.  
  
"Remain here for the night and rest. We'll see to it that things will be done." He patted the boy gently on the back and motioning to Bruce he stood to allow the boy some privacy to calm himself  
  
"Hey..."  
  
The two turned to where Kai still sat with the blanket around his shoulders, one hand drying the tears from his cheeks. Biting his lip nervously he glanced up.  
  
"Thanks...for understanding."  
  
Mr Dickenson beamed at the young lad. Without his face-paint he looked to be no older than 12 with that thick blanket engulfing him and those honest eyes, still wet from tears.  
  
"Just remember that despite what happens in life, there is always someone there to help you through. Do not worry, young Kai. We will help Tala and the others and we will put a stop to Voltaire and Boris."  
  
With that and a final wave the two adults left, closing the door behind them with a small *click*.  
  
Keeping the blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, Kai stood and walked over to the windows. He laid a hand on the cool pane and looked up at the many stars.  
  
For the first time in a long time he felt a small ripple of relief and smiled softly.  
  
"Tala, we're coming to get you."  
  
**************  
  
Blue eyes watched disinterestedly at the stars as they twinkled back at him through the glass windows, mocking him with the brightness and freedom. Shaking his head to get rid of these stupid thoughts he padded back to the bed, mindful of his injuries who protested at the movement.  
  
It had been a while since he had had such mobility but with all the pain it caused just to stand he felt more restrained then when he had been chained up. His legs were weak and each step was very shaky. His left hand had regained feeling and motion but the snapped bone and nerves in his right left it stiff and aggravating. Then there were the multiple cut wounds to his chest and stomach and the whiplashes on his back.  
  
He gingerly sat himself down on the edge of the bed, brushing a loose strand of fire-red hair out of his face. He stopped and studied the pale hand before him. Countless scratches marred the once flawless skin and the index finger was blue around the knuckle which had been twisted.  
  
'Is there anything left of me that is unspoiled?'  
  
The answer was heart wracking in its simplicity: No. All he ever had was now gone, his identity had been stripped and torn like his body. Like his soul.  
  
The door opened and light poured in from behind the tall figure that stood in the entrance, a vile grin plastered on his face as he watched the thin teen who returned the look but with fear and a small sprinkle of hatred.  
  
Closing the door but clicking on the light he rounded the bed and crouched down before the boy who now refused to meet his masked eyes. Blue eyes were fixed intently on the pale hands that rested on the teen's lap.  
  
"Are you still angry at me from this morning?" he snickered when Tala's pale face flushed at the memory. "Don't worry. They certainly found it very amusing."  
  
The event he was referring to had taken place earlier that day.  
  
He had been fast asleep, exhausted as always from the previous night's assaults. A rough hand had shaken him awake and he had opened his eyes to find Boris grinning down at him. Five others were present as well, unashamedly roving with their eyes over his body.  
  
It turned out they were all wealthy business men, each willing to pay a large sum of money for a consort to keep them entertained on their travels. He had been touched and stroked before each man had a go at him, for a small sum of 1000 dollars per man. None minded the injuries, saying they like their whores to be though.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like hours of torture, a greasy haired man from America placed a ridiculously high offer and Boris accepted it. The man was coming for him the next morning, giving Boris time to clean him up.  
  
"In this age it is the coin that rules everything. If you have no money, you have no power. You know I do this only for the sake of my research."  
  
"Liar." He closed his eyes, unable to even look at this monster.  
  
"Oh, so you can still speak. I knew that tongue was too talented for a mute."  
  
The sly tone made Tala clenched his hands on his lap.  
  
"And I am not a liar. The money will be used for my research. In fact," he buried his hand in his pocket and pulled out something, "here's a little gift for being such a good boy, though you need to earn it first."  
  
Cupping the face in his hands he pulled the teen in for a kiss, licking at the kiss-bruised lips before forcing his way into the warm mouth. Tala didn't fight back, having learned that protest was very stupid and useless. Moaning, Boris pushed the boy to lie back on the bed, ignoring when the pressure on the injured back caused Tala to cry out in the kiss.  
  
After many minutes of licking and biting he pulled away and smiled when he saw that Tala hadn't even opened his eyes yet. The teen's breath was coming out in small pants and his body was rigid from tension and fright.  
  
"That's my good boy. And here is your reward." He held out the object from his pocket but Tala didn't look at it, eyes squeezed shut trying to block out everything.  
  
"Don't you want to see your old friend?"  
  
Slowly he opened an eye to look up at whatever Boris found so important to show him.  
  
Light sparkled off the surface of a sleek blue beyblade. In the centre an ice-blue bit beast glowed as it detected its master's presence.  
  
"Wolborg..." Tala stared in wonder and relief.  
  
His beyblade. The one thing that still reminded him who he was and the one thing that offered him a sense of comfort.  
  
With a shaking hand he reached up to take it but Boris pulled it away.  
  
"Not yet. First we must get you ready."  
  
"R-ready? For what?"  
  
"Why, the ceremony of course. We need to congratulate the Bladebreakers for showing you for what you really are; a weak failure; not worthy for anything but a bed warmer."  
  
The words stung hard and he bit back a sob.  
  
"Come on. It's going to take our staff all day to patch you up."  
  
Boris stood and started for the door.  
  
"I can't go."  
  
"What?" the purple haired man growled in an irritated voice as he turned to where the teen had yet to rise/ "Don't you dare disobey me, bitch. Get over here, now!"  
  
"Sir, please, I can't face them." The faces of his team mates came into his vision. They hadn't seen each other ever since he had been brought to Boris. He had heard nothing from them and Boris refused to tell him anything when he had asked. Were they even alive? And Kai...  
  
"You speak as if I should care. Don't worry your pretty, little head. You won't be attending the ball inside. I am merely bringing you along for publicity though you will stay with me until the others come back out. So shut up and get up."  
  
He grabbed a slender arm painfully tight and roughly tugged the red-head to his feet.  
  
Tala swayed dangerously from the sudden altitude change and was forced to lean against Boris to prevent himself from falling over. The man laughed and wrapping an arm around the narrow waist he lead the way outside into the hall.  
  
A cry of dismay the moment he stepped out of the doorway and into the corridor caught Tala's attention and he looked up to see his team mates standing right there before him.  
  
Damnit! He hadn't thought to see them this soon. Boris didn't have the decency to even allow him to clean up before confronting them. However, giving them a look over, he could tell that the past few days hadn't been a walk in the park for them either.  
  
Ian's head was wrapped with a soiled linen bandage and one arm was in a sling. Bryan was standing behind him but had a hand on Spencer's broad shoulder to support him since he seemed to have a very badly sprained, or more likely broken, foot. His blue shirt had a large dark stain on it from a bleeding wound now covered. Spencer supported his friend but the big guy wore a neck brace and for some reason his eyes were staring off into space.  
  
"This certainly is a joyous reunion. Aren't you glad to see your team mates again, Tala?" He caressed one side of the teen's face but Tala's attention was solely on the three boys before him. He met eyes with Bryan who smiled if ever so slightly, relief to see his captain at least alive.  
  
"This way, gentlemen." Boris turned and started to lead them towards whatever he had in store for them.  
  
As they walked Tala kept looking over to the others. His feared suspicion was confirmed when he saw Ian holding Spencer's hand, leading the burly blond. Bryan too was making sure that the blond kept walking in the right direction. Spencer had been blinded by the neck injury.  
  
Swallowing back tears, he redirected his eyes forwards as they reached a door. Boris pulled out a key and opened the rusted lock. Pushing the door open he motioned them inside. A surprisingly clean and bright room was revealed, plainly furnished with a few tables and chairs.  
  
"Wait here until I come for you. Do not try anything or you will regret it."  
  
The moment the door was locked from the outside and the man's footsteps retreated Ian ran over to Tala where he had taken a seat near to the door, his body too hurting to remain standing.  
  
"Tala! We were so worried about you!" The smaller boy wrapped his arms around his friend's waist but let go immediately when Tala hissed in pain.  
  
"Take it easy, Ian," Bryan advised from where he sat next to Spencer opposite them. His leg was definitely broken from the strange angle it was in. Turning light violet eyes to the red-head his expression softened as he took in his captain's ragged appearance. "He blamed you again, didn't he?"  
  
Tala could only nod, fresh tears brimming as he found his voice.  
  
"Spencer? What happened?"  
  
"He sprained his neck pretty bad when he hit the wall the day the guards came for you," Bryan spoke up when Spencer didn't. "Slowly he started to lose his sight and in two days it was completely gone."  
  
Looking at his bruised and hurting friends, Tala felt all the self-hatred in him triple. It had all been his fault! He had lost them the championship!  
  
"I'm sorry, guys! I'm so sorry!" Burying his face in his palms he cried; cried for his friends, cried for himself, cried for everything.  
  
A hand on his arm made him look down to where Ian stared up at him with sad eyes.  
  
"Come on, Tala. You're stronger than this. Don't you remember what you used to say--"  
  
"No!" He stood, his body shrieking from the sudden movement but he didn't care. "I don't remember what I said and even if I did I would never believe it. I underestimated my opponent and because of that you guys paid! What type of a captain am I?"  
  
He began pacing, thought his steps were shaky. Ian paced beside him to make sure to steady him should he lose his balance.  
  
"Stop beating yourself up, Tala."  
  
All three turned to Spencer whose eyes were now sighted on some invisible spot on the floor.  
  
"Stop blaming yourself. We are a team. You didn't lose the match. *We* did. We were all responsible for what happened."  
  
Anything else was cut off as Boris opened the door. He eyed the four teens sceptically, his eyes finally settling on Tala and a smirk appeared.  
  
"Giving your team a little pep-talk?" He started towards the red-head who backed up, eyes wide and alert. Ian stood before his friend like a small shield but he would never be able to take on Boris if it came that far.  
  
Their director smirked as he saw Bryan to force himself to rise, ready to help his captain despite his leg. Spencer was as intimidating as ever, empty eyes able to scare off the devil himself.  
  
But the man before them was not the devil; he was something so much worse.  
  
"I see you have once again rallied a little fan club of your own, Tala. Your team looks ready to take me on even in their sorry state. They must really look up to you." He moved forward and extended and arm to touch Tala's face. The red-head shied away.  
  
"Back off, bastard!" Ian moved to push the man away but Boris gave him a vicious kick to the torso, catapulting him into the wall. The small boy cried out when his broken arm hit the brick work full force, breaking the bones that had been mending.  
  
Tala moved to help him but arms around his waist pulled him back against Boris' body. Struggling in the grip that sent sharp pain lacing through the wounds in his abdomen he tried to get to Ian who slowly sat up, cradling his arm to his body protectively.  
  
"My, my, you sure are quick to defend this weakling, Ian. Would you have done the same if you knew how he screamed like a virgin whore each time I took him?"  
  
Bryan stiffened at this as he saw Tala's eyes dim at the cruel words. The struggling grew less as the man's hands explored the contours of the teenage body.  
  
"Do you know that he shakes like a leaf whenever you touch him? And when you find certain places..." He moved his hand between the boy's legs and rubbed the crotch. Tala whimpered and tried to twist away but as always it was useless. His face burned with humiliation as Boris went on to describe each and every thing he had done to him during his captivity.  
  
Spencer could not see anything but as he listened to Boris' sick detailed experiences he balled his fists, ready to start throwing punches wildly in an attempt to hit the man. He gritted his teeth when he heard Tala whimper and took a step forward but a hand stopped him.  
  
"Don't. He will hurt him if we move closer." Bryan knew Boris would happily do just that and so they had no choice but to stand there and listen till he ran out of tales.  
  
Ian had been able to rise to his feet, broken arm clutched tightly against his chest. Torn between helping Tala and playing along with Boris he decided it best not to endanger the red-head so he sulked back towards where Bryan was still calming Spencer.  
  
Tala wished to die. Plain and simple. He wanted nothing better than a gun or a knife right now to take him out of this misery and humiliation. His team was looking at him in a mixture of disbelief, sadness, sympathy...  
  
...disgust, indifference, rejection, accusation...  
  
His mind started to imagine these darker emotions.  
  
They hated him. He was a weakling amongst them and had dragged them down to his poor excuse of a level.  
  
"As much fun as I am having I fear we must get going, don't we?" Boris captured the teen's lips in a hungered kiss, holding the head still by gripping the fire-red hair painfully.  
  
Ian swallowed back his nausea and turned pleading eyes to Bryan who simply couldn't watch. Spencer was spared the sickening sight but he could hear Boris' groans and Tala's soft cries and a lone tear streaked down from his sightless eyes.  
  
"We have to do something," Ian said softly, though Boris had momentarily forgotten about them as he pulled Tala closer to him and slipped his tongue into the boy's mouth.  
  
"What can we do? There's no one we can tell," Spencer pointed out, flinching when Tala cried out louder when Boris purposefully rubbed up against his injured side.  
  
Ian lowered his eyes to his splinted arm as they fell silent and waited till the director was finished with their captain.  
  
tbc.........  
  
*******************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	7. chapter seven

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
*************  
  
Ray liked to read. The book he was now engrossed in had been very hard to get but that had made it even more worth while. He had read the four previous books three years ago and was one of the first in line to order it when word got out that it had been completed.  
  
Now he wanted nothing better to do than lay there on his bed and read. Tyson had bet that he would never be able to finish the 870 page book while they were still in Russia but he begged to differ. He had started a couple of hours ago and was currently on page 159.  
  
The door to the bedroom opened and Ray looked up from where he laid on his stomach. The page he had previously been so engrossed in was quickly forgotten as Kai entered. Momentary surprise flickered in the red orbs but Kai looked away and headed for his duffle bag.  
  
"Um...hey, Kai..." Uncertain at what to say he sat up, marking the page and closing the heavy volume.  
  
"Hey."  
  
The response was quiet but not cold.  
  
Ray guessed that he should feel honoured that he was the one of the few bladers, or beings on this earth, who Kai saw as a worthy conversation partner.  
  
Kai hadn't counted on Ray being here. Yeah, they shared a room but Mr Dickenson had told him that the guys had gone to a movie which was the only reason why he decided it safe to return to their suite. However, he preferred the golden-eyed teen above the rest since Ray was more calm and understanding.  
  
"Why aren't you with the others?" he asked softly, sorting through his things.  
  
"I didn't want to watch the movie. Not my taste." He moved to stand, playing with the end of his long ponytail, "We were worried about you. You didn't come back last night and we thought that maybe you were still mad at us."  
  
"I am still mad at you." Kai pulled out loose, black jeans and searched for the top that went with it. He winced and mentally cursed himself when he stretched his arm too far, aggravating the bruise that covered his side. Luckily his back was turned to Ray and his pain went unnoticed.  
  
"Tyson is very sorry for what he said and he wants to apologise."  
  
Pulling out the elusive shirt, Kai turned to face Ray who had not moved from where he stood. His peer was worrying his lower lip with a pointed canine so much that Kai was afraid the sharp tooth would tear the skin. Running a hand through his hair he regarded his team mate.  
  
"You're right. I should be used to Tyson and his stupid jokes. And...I am sorry that I punched him. And I'm not mad at the rest of you."  
  
Ray sighed with relief and sat back down.  
  
"I'm glad that you are okay with all this. Tyson can be annoying at times but he is a good guy once you look pass that dopey grin." He himself smiled as he thought it through, "And the lame sense of humour, and the total lack of discipline, and the bottomless pit known as his stomach, and his hibernation-like sleeping habits, and his whining."  
  
Kai smiled slightly as he sat down on his side of the bed to remove his shoes.  
  
Seeing that the phoenix was more at ease, Ray flopped over to lie on his stomach next to Kai. He opened his book to use as a distraction as he asked in an indifferent voice.  
  
"So, why did you punch Tyson? Other than that he is annoying?"  
  
Kai stopped what he was doing and held his breath. Should he even answer that? Looking over at Ray the tiger seemed to be deep into whatever it was he was reading but Kai noted that the gold eyes would shift to look side- ways up at him, waiting for an answer.  
  
"The Demolition Boys deserve respect; they are no longer the champions but they are excellent bladers."  
  
"I don't think that that is the real reason, Kai. It hadn't been until Tyson started about Tala that you reacted. What's going on?" Seeing that his decoy reading wasn't working he propped himself up on his elbows as he looked at the bluenette.  
  
"It's nothing that involves you." The conversation was getting too personal for his liking.  
  
"You don't trust me, do you?"  
  
The question was so soft and sincere that Kai found himself halting in his actions. Ray was staring at him with a mixed look of sadness and understanding.  
  
"I know you like your privacy, Kai, and I respect that. But...sometimes I feel as if you see me as one of the bad guys."  
  
"Do I make you feel that way?" he asked, pondering the question.  
  
"Yeah." Sitting up to meet the phoenix eye-to-eye, he said, "I'm not asking you to tell me your secrets, Kai, or to open up everything to me. Not if you don't want to. But don't shut me out like I'm some stranger. I'm your friend, Kai. We all are. And we all worry about you because we never know what's going on with you. You say that everything's alright but I know it isn't. I'm no mind reader but I know when a friend is troubled, and you are."  
  
Kai studied the neko-jin, weighing the words in his mind. Ray by all means was not asking too much. What he asked for was more than fair since he had shared with Kai many of his past and secrets and has never given the phoenix any moment to doubt it faithfulness as a friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ray," he finally admitted. "Things are...they're just really messed up right now. I need some head space to think them through. And you're right; I'm not okay. But I told Mr Dickenson everything and he's going to help me, alright?"  
  
The news brought a smile to the raven-haired blader's face and Ray nodded.  
  
"That's all I wanted to know. Thanks."  
  
Such trust and offered friendship...  
  
Before he could think it through, Kai pulled his fellow blader into a hug, needing the feel of embrace of a friend before he broke down again.  
  
Ray was surprised; Kai wasn't a big fan of hugs, but he returned it, holding onto the bluenette for a long while until he felt Kai ease out of the embrace.  
  
"Thanks, Ray. You're a good friend," Kai confessed, eyes down.  
  
"Anytime, Kai, anytime."  
  
Kai rose to go get ready for the ceremony that would start within an hour and Ray, already half-dressed, had his nose buried in his book once more.  
  
"And what are you reading?" Kai asked; the question had been haunting him ever since he had stepped into the room.  
  
Ray laughed and lifted the book for Kai to read the title. A brow rose as the red eyes took in the cover. A disbelieving smirk formed on the well formed lips.  
  
"What?" Ray asked defensively, "I happen to like it."  
  
"Whatever." Shaking his head with a soft smile Kai stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.  
  
*************  
  
"Hey, Kai!"  
  
Kai turned when he heard his name to see Tyson running towards him, dressed in long blue pants and a, what Tyson considered, formal dress-shirt. His hair was as always in the short ponytail and the Dragoon blader had made it quite clear that he wasn't going to give up wearing his baseball cap, ceremony or no ceremony. His eye wasn't that badly swollen anymore but was darker in colour than yesterday.  
  
"You don't have to yell, Tyson," he admonished as the boy skidded to a stop before him, doubled over and breathing hard. "What did you do? Run all the way down from the suite?"  
  
"*Pant**pant*....yeah...*pant*" Taking a deep breath he straightened to face his captain. "I *pant* I saw you from the window. I have to *pant* talk to you."  
  
"Why didn't you just take the elevator?"  
  
Tyson blinked. Yeah, why hadn't he taken the elevator? It wasn't like Kai would have gone anywhere. The red-eyed teen had been leaning against the wall in his custom trademark manner for the past 45 minutes.  
  
"Never mind that. The reason I'm here is because...." Boy it sure was hard to apologise when you still believed yourself the innocent victim, "I just wanted to..."  
  
"Spit it out, Tyson; you're using up my oxygen."  
  
"IjustwantedtosaythatIamsorryandthatInevermeanttoupsetyouandItakebackeveryth ingIsaid."  
  
Kai raised a brow.  
  
"Let's translate that into English then. You are sorry?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And you never meant to upset me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"And you take back everything you said."  
  
"I do." Tyson shuffled the ground with a foot. "I guess that this whole championship thing just went to my head."  
  
"You guess?"  
  
"Okay, okay! It did. But I mean...we were just starting to become...friends?" He glanced up to see if the phoenix thought that too. An 'I-guess-so' nod from Kai confirmed it and he continued, "I just don't want to blow it over something so stupid."  
  
"You were asking for it," Kai pointed out as he studied his handy work on Tyson's face. "But I was also wrong to hit you. I'm sorry."  
  
"You're sorry?" Even Tyson's black eye widened at that. "You, Kai Hiwatari, you are apologising to me?"  
  
"Yeah. But I don't make mistakes often so don't expect to hear it again."  
  
"As long as you don't punch me you can call it even." Tyson held out his hand which Kai accepted. "So...are you still going to be the one to accept the trophy?"  
  
"What's it with you wanting me to take the trophy?" Kai pushed himself off the wall and started to where the limousine had just pulled up, the gravel crunching beneath the black tires.  
  
"You're the one who kept talking and talking and talking about defending your title as world champion. I thought you would want to be the first to hold the trophy..."  
  
Tyson stopped walking and Kai halted as well, giving the younger teen a questioning look.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"I just realised something," Tyson's eyes narrowed with confusion, "Since day one you've been talking about defending *your* world champion title... How is that possible since the Demolition Boys were the world champions when we came here?"  
  
'Oh. Shit.'  
  
True, he had mentioned that on several occasions but only because he had doubted that this team would ever make it to the world championship. He had expected them to reach no further than the American tournaments and had counted on returning to Russia by himself to defend his title alongside his four Russian team mates.  
  
"I...uh..."  
  
"Hey, guys!!"  
  
A blond blur flew towards them and collided with Tyson and both went down. It seemed as if this was the only way Max could ever greet the navy-haired teen. Laughing, the ever-cheerful boy stood up, wiping away some gravel from the front of his green shirt and white pants. His hair was wild as always but no one had expected him to bother to brush it anyway.  
  
"Is this too cool or what?! Check out the ride!" Grabbing Tyson's hand he dragged the boy towards the limo, giving Kai a belated wave. "Come on! Kenny is waiting for us at the arena already!!"  
  
Kai let out a sigh of relief. He was going to let Max eat as much sugar as he wanted from now on.  
  
Tyson had hit the nail on the head big time with that observation. Kai didn't know how but Mr Dickenson had made sure that not a single word had leaked out to anyone outside of Russia that Kai had still been a member from the Demolition Boys even though he was now captain of the Bladebreakers. The old man certainly had very high resources to pull off a stunt like that.  
  
"Pondering on whether or not you should get into the limo?" Ray walked up to stand beside him as he buttoned the cuffs of his long-sleeved red shirt. He was referring to Max who was now standing on the limo seat with his upper body through the sunroof, waving and hooting though the limo was at a complete standstill.  
  
"Now that you mention it, the arena isn't *that* far...should we walk it?"  
  
"Too late for that now," Ray snickered as Max came bounding towards them.  
  
"Come on, you two! You're gonna make us miss the trophy hand-over!!"  
  
"Max, they can't give away the trophy without us! Who would they give it to?!"  
  
Ray's words didn't seem to ring through as the blond grabbed him by the wrist and hauled him towards the white, spotless limo. He reached out for Kai too but the bluenette held up his hand.  
  
"I can walk by myself, thank you. I need to talk to Mr Dickenson."  
  
"You lose your spot on the sun-roof then!" Max ran off with Ray who shot Kai a 'help me' look.  
  
"My heart bleeds for my loss." Kai rolled his eyes.  
  
Voices came from behind as Mr. Dickenson and Bruce descended from the hotel's front steps. Both were dressed in tuxedos and ties, which was nothing new as far as Mr. Dickenson was concerned but it did look kinda strange to see Bruce dressed so formal since the man always preferred his khaki shorts and yellow vest with safety boots.  
  
"Can I speak with you for a moment, sir?" Kai asked the eldest of the two who nodded, face turning serious.  
  
"I will go see if I can keep the limo intact until you are ready."  
  
Bruce walked off to where Max and Tyson had thought that they could both fit through the sunroof. Two Max's could have but one Max and one Tyson not and now they wriggled to free themselves; those buffets had finally caught up to them. Ray would've helped if it wasn't for the fact that he was leaning against the car, weak with laugher. He had warned them but of course they hadn't listened.  
  
"I have alerted the officials," the old manager held up his hand when Kai opened his mouth to protest. "Not the Russian police but my own people from the BBA. They are on the alert and will only move in when I give them the signal."  
  
"That's good." He couldn't help the small tremble that ran through him.  
  
"You are afraid, aren't you?"  
  
"Of what?" As if to counterclaim his aloof words another more intense shiver hit him.  
  
"That you are going to see Boris again."  
  
Kai didn't answer immediately and looked at his feet, arms once more crossing each other in a defensive mode. Every time he heard that name he would feel vulnerable.  
  
"You need not worry, Kai. The man is not going to come within twenty feet of you. I promise you that. We can easily have Tyson accept the trophy. That way you would have no need to be near Boris."  
  
"I know. But...Tala; I need to see him. I need to see him face-to-face."  
  
"Your friendship with Tala is very strong indeed for you risk yourself for him."  
  
"He risked himself for me a lot of times already. He has never abandoned me like I have him. I refuse to leave him behind again."  
  
"You won't. Everything will work out, Kai. Everything Boris and his followers have ever done to you will end tonight."  
  
The elder man placed a comforting hand on his bare shoulder as they started for the car.  
  
"I don't think it will ever end, Mr. Dickenson. It will always be in my head. As long as I live I will relive every rape and beating I and all the others suffered." He turned hopeless red eyes to his manager. "And that's what scares me the most."  
  
*************  
  
Tala stood still, allowing the scientists and workers to mob him. One kept on readjusting his shirt while the other never seemed satisfied with his belt and kept on replacing it, unknowingly adjusting the buckle too tight which squeezed his bruised and lacerated waist. He hoped that the bandages would hold up.  
  
They were trying to cover up as much skin as possible to hide his injuries. The clothes were all very dark colours to camouflage any blood should a wound start to leak. His dark-navy green pants were baggy, again a precaution for bleeding, and his turtle neck sweater was black with a dark blue striped running down the left shoulder till his waist and two more at the ends of the wrist-length sleeves. The inner sides off his shirt were padded with a cotton layer to give the appearance that he wasn't as thin as he had become.  
  
The injuries on his face were treated and more serious ones had been healed with laser surgery. More minor cuts and scraped were covered with make-up powder. Only one thing was being quite a problem.  
  
"Boris, sir, what shall we do about his eyes?" a man asked as the director walked over, having been checking up on the progress with the others.  
  
"What do you mean?" He leaned in to study the said orbs and smirked when Tala moved back, almost leaning on the person behind him who was busy with removing the tangles from his hair.  
  
"The lack of nutrition and sunlight, not to mention the psychical and mental abuse," the man kept his words strictly observant; they all knew what had become of their female colleague who had talked badly of Boris in his face. "All these things have led to a drastic dimming of the iris pigments. People will notice the paler hues."  
  
Boris hadn't spent much time studying the boy's eyes, not when there were more interesting places to explore, but now that it had been brought up Tala's eyes were many shades lighter then they once were. His irises were a ghostly, almost white colour.  
  
"Have contacts put in. Nothing must give him away."  
  
He wasn't planning on allowing Tala to be present during the hand-over of the trophy but anything could happen and should the boy be discovered he should look presentable.  
  
The man ran off to obtain the cosmetic lenses but his absence was barely missed as the mob moved back in to continue. It was done in an eerie silence for such a busy operation. Everyone knew their task and so there was no need for communication.  
  
Peeking through the many bodies Tala could see where Spencer was being attended to. He couldn't help cringing as he watched the scientists inject needle after needle into the blank eyes.  
  
Spencer had been tied down to a metal table but with each injection his body rebelled and his arm and leg muscles were fighting to break free from the metal clasps that held him down. When the needles finally finished they came with a laser which was shone again into the blonde's eyes. Spencer cursed loudly and tried to turn his head away but it too was held fast by restrains.  
  
A scientist moved to do something and Tala lost sight of his team mate.  
  
He hadn't seen either Ian or Bryan since they came into the facility. Both had been sent to another section since both had broken bones that needed to be set back. Tala could practically hear the sounds of bones being snapped into place in his mind and he gritted his teeth.  
  
Someone pushed his way through the throng and his chin was captured by bony fingers which forced his head up. Another pair of hands came from the back to hold his head in place as the first person held his eyelids open and dropped in a lens. The recently made lens burned his eye and he felt the water start to stream down his face as his eyes tried to protect itself by ridding itself of the foreign object. The tears made the make-up powder run and the people moved in even more to repair the damage. No one cared about his discomfort.  
  
His vision was blurred by the unwanted extra layer and by the tears that wanted it out. If he went blind right there and then he would not haven been surprised.  
  
"You seem to have everything under control, Boris," a familiar voice spoke up and Tala ignored his current state to try and find the speaker who was no doubt right there with the director.  
  
"My lord, it is a surprise to see you here," Boris really sounded surprise. Whoever it was it was someone he had not been expecting to see at the moment.  
  
"Save your words for they mean nothing. I am here only to protect my properties. I do not particularly enjoy associating with failures."  
  
"I understand, Voltaire. I feel the same also."  
  
His eyes were still clouded but he could feel Boris glare at him. Blinking furiously he felt his eyes slowly grow accustomed to the alien lenses and the tears lessened. Through the haze he could indeed make out Voltaire's broad features.  
  
"You certainly have no regards for what cost me millions of dollars, Boris." Voltaire took in the red-head's appearance with a small smirk.  
  
"A waste of your money indeed, my lord. He has been sold to an American for a mere 90 thousand dollars. Though if you wish you are free to have him for tonight. He is as tight as the day he was born."  
  
Tala held his breath as Boris so carelessly offered him to the senior Hiwatari. If there was one person who was more sadistic in bed than Boris it was this supposedly regal business tycoon. He himself had never been penetrated by Voltaire. Groped yes, but taken, thankfully no. However he knew of others who had been and the tales were gut wrenching.  
  
"A very generous offer, however I shall decline."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Quite. At least I decline this one. My reasons for going to the ceremony differ." There was a sly tone in the voice that made the hairs on the back of Tala's neck stand on end.  
  
"Oh? What else could possibly interest you at a ceremony where Biovolt's failure will be flaunted in our face by a group of rowdy youngsters?"  
  
"Why, I want to congratulate them...especially my grandson."  
  
Tala gasped at the words. His knees suddenly gave way and several hands shot out to catch him. He was pulled back to his feet but everything else was shut out as the conversation continued, neither man really caring that they had a third listener.  
  
"It is not everyday that one's traitorous grandchild wins a championship. I personally will give him my best wishes." A predatory gleam glistened in the stone cold eyes. Whatever was running through his head was no where near pure.  
  
"You think that Kai will voluntarily walk up to you?"  
  
"My grandson is a beautiful but not foolish boy. He will not give himself up unless it is for a very good reason. And I know exactly what that is."  
  
"And what is this reason you speak of?"  
  
Voltaire grinned at the taller man before sliding his eyes onto Tala.  
  
tbc.......  
  
************  
  
P.S: For those of you who are still at a lost of what Ray is reading, it's 'Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix'. As weird as it sound you have that book to thank for this chapter. Why?  
  
That damn book is everywhere!! I was getting so stressed with seeing it repeatedly on TV that I turned off the television and started to write. So it is only fair that I mention in now.  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	8. chapter eight

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one.  
  
Warnings: see chapter one.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
*************  
  
"Mr Tate, Mr Tate, over here please!"  
  
"Ray, what is your relationship with your former White Tiger team mate Mariah?"  
  
"Mr Hiwatari, what do your markings symbolise?"  
  
"A picture please, Mr. Granger!"  
  
"Now that you and your team are the world champions, are you glad that you left the White Tigers team?"  
  
"Tyson, is it true that you got that black eye when you jumped in front of a truck to protect a little child who had toddled onto a busy street?"  
  
"Have you ever considered doing commercials for hair products, Mr Kon?"  
  
"Mr. Hiwatari, is it true that you once dated the minister's daughter?"  
  
"Mr Granger, are you making some kind of fashion statement with your ensemble of clothes?"  
  
"Whoa, can you guys believe this?" Tyson looked out the window, waving to the dozens of reporters and camera crews that lined the sidewalk before the large arena, shouting out questions as the limo passed them.  
  
Most of their words were drowned out by shrieking fan girls who jumped up and down while clapping their hands giddily. Signs were waved above their heads with 'I love Ray' and 'Marry me, Kai' all over the place. One group of glasses wielding girls was even doing a Kenny-cheer.  
  
"It's just the hype. By tomorrow it will all wind down," Ray informed from where he sat next to Kai.  
  
"Which means we've got soak in it while it's still here!"  
  
Tyson rolled down his window and stuck his head outside, hollering and waving to the crowd which turned up several notches when the Dragoon blader showed his face.  
  
"Oh no, you don't! You're not gonna hog all the spotlight!" Max opened the sun roof and stood on the seat. Again the crowd grew even louder as the blond greeted them.  
  
"I've never seen them this excited," Ray laughed. He was just as pumped as his friends but knew to keep his cool. "They're so gonna be busted tomorrow morning. Guess they won't be able to train early then?"  
  
He smiled at Kai but the blue haired boy didn't seem to have heard him. The red eyes were trained on the concrete street outside though he wasn't really looking at anything.  
  
"Hey, Kai! You gotta come out here! Some girls out here are wearing bikini tops and your name is spelled out on their stomachs!" Tyson called back behind him but his attention was once more caught by someone in the crowd. "What did you say?! Yeah, I'll date ya!"  
  
Ray smiled at Tyson's enthusiasm but Kai didn't even blink. There was something different about the phoenix; he didn't appear as menacing as normal and his fists weren't clenched with want to punch Tyson for screaming so loud.  
  
"Kai, are you there, pal?" Ray placed a hand on the bare shoulder and was surprised when Kai jumped at the contact.  
  
Red eyes fixed on him with a moment of...fear?! Kai was never afraid of anything since everything was always afraid of him.  
  
Seeing the look Ray withdrew his hand.  
  
"Um...sorry about that. Are you okay?"  
  
Kai sighed. When he had felt the sudden contact his mind had taken a one- way trip into his past. Why a simple gesture as this would trigger this reactions he didn't know but it probably had something to do with the fact that he was going to have to see Boris one more time.  
  
"I'm just a bit tired. That's all," he assured Ray who was about to ask more when Tyson yanked on his ponytail.  
  
"I'm not kidding, Ray! They are singing your name like it's a national anthem or something!"  
  
Giving in, Ray peeked out of the limo. The cameras flashed so brightly and frequently that he almost went blind and the roar of the crowd nearly made him deaf.  
  
Kai watched his team blow kisses and pose for the cameras with a small smile on his face.  
  
They were just being themselves. Kids who were having a good time. Will he ever be able to do that?  
  
A hand rested on his arm but since he hadn't dazed off he wasn't taken off- guard. He turned his head to look at Mr. Dickenson. The old manager had taken the space next to him while Bruce sat opposite the two. Both adults had spent the entire trip writing and discussing small speeches for each Bladebreaker. Apparently Tyson's self-written speech 'We rock, they suck!' wasn't considered proper champion language.  
  
"I'm okay," he said automatically.  
  
Neither fell for it.  
  
"Just stay with the team and don't go off by yourself. The moment Tala and the others are safely away from Boris my people will move in. All will go well, Kai." The old man smiled and patted his shoulder.  
  
"We're here!!" Tyson popped back in, breaking the moment. "Come on, guys! It's show time!"  
  
"Can you at least wait until the limo stops?" Bruce laughed at his son's eagerness.  
  
No sooner had he spoken the words when the door was flung open and there stood, not their chauffeur, but Mr Granger himself.  
  
"Hey cats, dig this crazy scene!"  
  
"I'm digging it!" Tyson bounced out of the limo, striking a pose right then and there.  
  
The world turned white when all cameras went off at the opportunity, the shutters fluttering and the lights flashing furiously. The media were screaming out questions and requests.  
  
"This is so cool!" Tyson smiled and waved as he made his way through the throng of reporters, striking outrageous poses wherever there was a camera. "We're like celebrities or something!"  
  
"Yeah!" Max agreed as he signed a young girl's arms with a marker. She promptly fainted.  
  
Both bladers exchanged a wondrous look.  
  
"WE RULE!!" Slapping high-fives, they ran down the red carpet towards the grand glass entrance, signing signatures and chatting with the reporters like they were old friends.  
  
"Do we dare to leave the limo?" Ray asked Kai who graced him with a small smile as he shook his head at Tyson and Max who were currently shaking hands with a couple of the ceremony's top organizers.  
  
"Do we have a choice?" He waited until Ray scooted out and then followed suite.  
  
No aircraft to date could ever out do the sonic boom that erupted from the crowd as the two eldest Bladebreakers stepped out onto the red carpet. The security that had been stationed along either side of the entrance had to call for back-up as they held the crowd at bay. The sight of these big, strong men struggling to hold back teenage girls less than a half of their body weight was comical and Ray smiled which brought an even bigger reaction.  
  
"We have better get you two inside before they storm the carpet!" Bruce shouted over the riot as he ushered the teens towards the entrance. Mr Dickenson followed, speaking on his cell phone.  
  
As they walked towards their two renegade team mates, a fan somehow managed to slip beneath the guards' arms and grabbed hold of the tail from Kai's scarf, almost yanking it completely off in the process. The knot undid itself a bit and the white cloth fell away from the teen's neck. Before any more damage could be done Bruce was able to peal the sobbing girl off the startled teen and handed her over to a guard who escorted her off the grounds.  
  
"I LOVE YOU, KAI!!"  
  
Shaking his head he started to redo his scarf when a hand on his stopped his action. Ray's eyes were wide as he took in the dark mark on his friend's neck. Knowing that the press would just love to get this in the papers if they saw it, he quickly adjusted the white scarf though his eyes remained serious.  
  
"Thanks," Kai mouthed, feeling even more shaken from his friend discovering the marks than when the psycho fan had bombarded him.  
  
"We are in serious need of a talk," Ray whispered in his ear as they continued, this time staying near to each other should another fan attack them. The press was feeding off what had just happened.  
  
"How will you react to this turn of events?"  
  
"Will you be suing that young lady for assault and battery?"  
  
"Has this ever happened to you too, Mr Kon?"  
  
"How much does your scarf cost?"  
  
"Mr. Kon, are the rumours that you and Mr Hiwatari are a couple true?"  
  
***************  
  
While the crowd's attention was focused on the happenings in front of the spotlighted arena a jet-black limo pulled up to the back entrance followed by an equally dark van. The headlights were killed as both vehicles came to a halt.  
  
Voltaire stepped out of his luxurious ride dressed in tuxedo with a heavy wolf-furred coat draped over his shoulders. A shiny black cane with a silver serpent head was gripped a broad hand. He looked every bit the multi millionaire but tonight he would collect an even more valuable reward than all his money combined.  
  
The sound of the van's rear doors opening garnered his attention and he walked over to where Boris stood watching the four boys as they were led out of the vehicle, hands handcuffed in front of them. Bryan almost tripped but caught himself though his pained hiss didn't go unnoticed. Boris smirked at the boy's pain but did nothing about it. He turned to the heavily armed guards.  
  
"Remove their restrains."  
  
The guards obliged and unlocked the cruel handcuffs from Bryan, Ian and Spencer. However, when one went to take off Tala's Boris' voice stopped him.  
  
"Leave his on, for now anyway." He took hold of a slender wrist and drew Tala away from the others. He placed unnecessary force on the wrist knowing that the small metal spikes that lined the cuff's inner ring will make their presence known.  
  
The purple-haired man snapped his fingers and the guards snapped to attention, withdrawing various fire arms and training them on the three bladers. Boris smirked when he felt Tala stiffen beside him. In a warning gesture he placed a hand on the small of the lean back before addressing the targeted boys who were glaring at him for touching their captain.  
  
"The three of you will go to your appointed room and wait for me there. You will show your faces only when the time comes to hand over the trophy. You will not even look at the media. You will not express any emotions. You will not talk. Had I the power you would not even breathe. Bryan, you will be the one to give the trophy to whichever brat they choose to accept it. You will keep your gaze barren and distant. If you disobey in the smallest manner than I can guarantee you that I will take action."  
  
To back his words up he pulled back his coat to reveal a shining revolver. Removing it he traced the end of the barrel down the side of Tala's face before placing it to the boy's temple.  
  
"Am I understood?" he raised a brow.  
  
"Yes, sir," all three answered quickly.  
  
"Good. Escort our former *champions* to locker room 16."  
  
As they were being lead away Ian and Bryan both turned their heads to cast a worried look at Tala, who Boris still had his hand on.  
  
The blue eyes answered their silent concerns, "I'll be alright. Make sure to help Spencer."  
  
The scientist had been able to restore some form of sight but the blond could still only see a very blurred world.  
  
The doors closed with a sharp click and they were gone. He didn't have much time to pray for their safety when the hand that had been on his back now took hold of his hip and turned him to face the man he hated more than anything else.  
  
"As for you, you still have an important part to play."  
  
Something was pressed into his hand. He felt the familiar cool of metal surface. Wolborg.  
  
"You know your task. Use that mutt if you want to, but get me my grandson." Voltaire stepped up, face colder than the air around them. "I have a plane to catch at 11 and Kai is coming with me."  
  
Waving his hand in dismissal he turned but a soft voice stopped him.  
  
"No."  
  
"What did you say?" He turned narrowed eyes on the red-head.  
  
"I won't let you hurt him again."  
  
"Boris, I believe that this bitch needs to be broken some more."  
  
The cane was raised, the adorned snake grip glistening, ready to strike. Tala closed his eyes as he awaited the blow but when nothing happened he dared to peak. Boris held the cane just inches from where it had almost smashed into his face.  
  
"What is the meaning of this, Boris? I have never known you to start feeling for your whores," Voltaire growled as he pulled his cane free from the other man's hand.  
  
"Believe me, I don't. Nothing would please me more right now than to pummel him right here in the parking lot. But it took us all day to make him presentable and we cannot run the risk of having his wounds reopen. You do want to get Kai and then get the hell away from here, don't you."  
  
Voltaire growled an agreement but his eyes remained murderous. Taking hold of the teen's shirt he got in his face, hot breath causing the fine bangs to sway with each word.  
  
"You *will* do well to follow my instructions, Tala. What applies for your team mates also apply for you. Any rebellion from you and I will guarantee you that the media will have a wonderful time covering the story of three bodies found shot and mutilated right here in the parking lot. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
When the boy faltered he gave him a vicious shake.  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
"...yes..." Tala stared wide-eyed at the older man, shaken to the core. Again a hand gripped his hip and twisted him around to face Boris whose eyes were warning him on the pain of death.  
  
"Don't you dare screw this up, Tala. Deliver Kai to us and I will reconsider selling you to the American. In fact..." A wonderfully evil idea came to mind. "I will make you a deal. Get Kai back and I will release you from the Abbey."  
  
"No. I won't let you touch him again."  
  
"Hm, very honourable notion but I know you the type to sacrifice yourself for others. Will you be just as stubborn if I wager the others' freedom as well? Once Kai has been returned I will allow you *and* Ian, Bryan and Spencer to leave the Abbey. Would you turn down your friends chances of freedom for the sake of Kai's?"  
  
He could have hit no lower than that. How could he choose?  
  
Kai was his best friend but did that overthrow the three other friendships he treasured in close second? If he turned it down they would return to the abbey to undergo the beatings and starvation. He had overheard the scientists saying that unless Bryan's leg was properly operated on they would have to amputate it soon. Not that they couldn't, all the scientists at the abbey were of high schooling, but Boris forbade them to, enjoying the lilac-haired Russian's handicap.  
  
'If I turn this down then they will all die. But I can't betray Kai...'  
  
Tears of confusion stung his eyes and he lowered his head in misery.  
  
What was he going to do?  
  
**************  
  
"This is so neat. Check it out! My name is printed on the chair!"  
  
"Yes, Tyson, it's been there for the past hour," Kenny sighed, adjusting his bow tie.  
  
"Oh, hey! What's that?"  
  
Grabbing the small boy by the wrist he dragged him off in the direction of whatever it was he had seen. Not about to be left out of a potential laugh Max hurried behind them and the three were soon swallowed up by the crowd.  
  
"I can't believe what they've done to this place. It looks like a palace!" Mariah commented from where she sat in her sparkling pink dress next to Ray and the rest of the White Tigers.  
  
"Duh! It *is* a palace. They only turned it into a stadium at the turn of the century. It used to be the home of the Czar and his family who--"  
  
"Spare us the fun facts, Emily," Michael cut in with a stressed yawn. He lounged on his chair, feet on the table. They had repeatedly told him to sit properly but he ignored them for the most part. "This is a party. Quit your trivia and get me something to drink."  
  
"Ooh! You...you....ugh!" Cutting eye with him she returned to her laptop which she had seated on her lap.  
  
Like Mariah's earlier observation the arena had gotten a complete make- over. How it was possible that they had been able to move in several hundreds of seats and tables, plus sound stage, lighting, press conference table and buffet not to mention paint and decorate the enormous area within a course of just 4 days was a mystery, But the music was good and the food was great so no one really dwelled on that for long.  
  
The guests were made up out of three main groups: the bladers who included the champions as well as those who had participated in the exhibition matches. And of course close family and friends were there too. The second group, and the largest, were the BBA personnel and the Russian beyblading organizers. Top ranking managers, owners, financiers, and other very important people walked about in their expensive gowns and tux's. And last but not least was a selective media group. Not the raging crowd from outside, thankfully; these were of a more...dignified...class who were actually polite.  
  
Still, they unnerved him every time they came up to ask for a picture or an interview. Was it just him or did they seem to be focusing mainly on him as if they knew that he was hiding something?  
  
'Cut it out! You're getting paranoid!' He forced himself to calm down though he seriously would have preferred to get in the limo and go home.  
  
He had taken Mr Dickenson's advice and stayed with the group though not too close or they would get suspicious. Leaning against the wall within sight of where the majority of his friends and fellow bladers sat talking and laughing he was mainly drifting in and out of focus. Tyson's rather loud return pulled him to reality for good.  
  
"Hey, guys, do you know that they have ginormous ice sculptures of our bit beasts back there?! It is the coolest!!" Plopping down he stretched back and folded his hands behind his head. "You know, I am really gonna like this whole champion thing."  
  
"Just don't let your head become even more detached from the rest of your body...though you could stand to lose a few pounds," Enrique cracked and everyone exploded with laugher which garnered them some curious glances from the adults around them.  
  
"Very funny, Enrique-poo. Laugh all you want but we will see who will laugh last when that trophy is in our hands! Which pose do you think I should use?"  
  
He started striking possible candidates for his trophy acceptance pictures. The others laughed, cheering or booing out their opinions.  
  
Their camaraderie was interrupted by a waiter dressed in spotless black tuxedo with cuffs.  
  
"Anything to drink for the guests of honour?"  
  
Big mistake as he was bombarded with orders. It took him many minutes before he had everything written down.  
  
"Two diet sprites for the lovely ladies. 5 cokes, 2 root beers, 3 ginger ales, and you, gentlemen?" He turned to the Majestics who each ordered some wine or champagne that was damn near impossible to repeat but very expensive. Then again, the others hadn't expected anything less from the four royals.  
  
"Something to drink, Lord Hiwatari?" The man straightened his already disciplined posture even more as he addressed Kai who had slipped off into his own thoughts once more. Right now he needed something to clear his mind and spoke out the first thing that came to mind, forgetting the fact that the others could hear him.  
  
"Bloody Martini. And make it three dashes of Worchestershire instead of two."  
  
"The usual 1 1/2 oz. Vodka?"  
  
"Just for this one shot."  
  
"As you wish, lord Hiwatari."  
  
With a small bow he turned and disappeared to where the bar stood surrounded by patrons who were enjoying the free alcoholic beverages.  
  
Kai was about to drift out again when he noticed that the others were strangely silent. 16 pairs of wide eyes stared at him as 16 mouths almost touched the floor. If he hadn't been under so much pressure he would have laughed at their expressions but now he could only raise a brow in simple questioning.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Bloody Martini? Have you any idea how strong that stuff is?!" Kenny's voice squeaked.  
  
"I need something to clear my mind."  
  
"Don't you have to be 18 and older to order something so strong?" Lee asked, mentally patting himself on the back for being able to come out of his stupor long enough to speak.  
  
Kai simply shrugged his shoulders and shut them out as he went back to his musings. Every now and then he would look out into the large crowd before him hoping to see a flash of red hair but it was all a sea of black tuxedos and glimmering evening gowns.  
  
'Where is he keeping you? Is he still hurting you even now?'  
  
There had not been no signs whatsoever of the Demolition Boys all night. The others simply waved it off saying that the Russian team was too ashamed to spend any time longer than needed. He wasn't about to enlighten them on the dark truth but the unspent concern was wreaking havoc inside him.  
  
"Your drinks, ladies and gentlemen."  
  
Their waiter had returned balancing 17 drinks on two big trays. Those who think that being a waiter is an easy job should try themselves to walk through a constantly moving mass while juggling liquids on flat surfaces. But this guy was a seasoned waiter.  
  
Having dealt them all their drinks he carried the remaining drink to its owner who still leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed. The crimson pair opened slowly when he sensed another near. Wordlessly he picked up his equally red drink and nodded a 'thank you' to the waiter who bowed and slipped away again.  
  
Taking the first sip he allowed the burning drink to roll about on his tongue for a few seconds before swallowing. The heat burned its way down till his stomachs. It could have used a bit more tobasco but right now he needed the simple momentary sting to keep himself in check.  
  
"Are you drunk already?"  
  
Blinking out of his trance he looked into Tyson's imploring eyes. He had never thought that the navy-haired boy could move without making a sound but sure enough he stood right before him, eyes training on him, then the vodka, and then him again.  
  
"Get real." He took another sip, larger this time in hopes of maybe making this unwanted illusion disappear. No such luck as Tyson spoke again.  
  
"Can I try it?"  
  
"You're too young."  
  
"Oh, puh-lease! You're only a year older and not even 18 yet."  
  
"Your point?"  
  
"Your little friend is right, Kai. Drinking has dire consequences for those who are under-age."  
  
Fighting the urge to bolt, Kai looked past Tyson's shoulder up into Boris' stone-grey eyes. His grip on the glass trembled and he lowered it to his side to prevent the others from seeing the drink slosh over the side from his shaking hand. Schooling his rampaging fears he nodded a greeting but kept his eyes averted. In the mean time the others sat in silence, eyes narrowed in extreme distrust towards the man.  
  
"I simply wanted to congratulate you and your immense success. I've seen many who have easily fallen to the power and all out cunning technique of my boys," Boris' eyes shifted pointedly to the White Tigers and All Starz.  
  
"Yes, it is too great a shame that they short-circuited during the most crucial part of the tournament," Robert spoke up. He was the eldest of the whole group, having his 17th birthday behind his back, and had already have dealt with people like this one.  
  
A cold smirk sent shivers down all their spines.  
  
"You speak as if I treat my boys like mere war instruments. I'll have you know that I take good care of my pupils and they are normally begging for my teaching. Isn't that right, Kai?"  
  
The look of complete lust went unseen by the others but he saw it flickering behind the supposedly emotionless eyes. The man seemed to tower over him taller than usual and he could feel the eyes undressing him right there on the spot. He could feel those rough hands on him.  
  
"Is there something you wish to discuss with my team and their friends?" Mr Dickenson appeared from amongst the crowd. Behind him walked Mr Granger and Bruce. The latter's fists balled at the sight of cold-eyed Russian.  
  
"It is good to see you too, Stanley," Boris said, purposefully addressing the head of the BBA informally, goading his reaction. In the meantime his eyes kept on roaming over Kai's body.  
  
For his part Mr Dickenson ignored the disrespectful tone but he was well aware of the man's close proximity to Kai and it unnerved him. The young man couldn't even look his aggressor in the eyes and he could see the fine trembles that he was trying to hide from his fellow bladers.  
  
"Like wise, I suppose, though you have not answered my question." As he spoke he casually placed himself between Boris and Kai. The director blinked out of the trance he had been in and finally made eye contact with the elderly man.  
  
"I was just telling my young apprentice here how proud I am of him. He has learned well. Should he ever wish for any more lessons he is more than welcomed to visit us at the abbey again. We do miss your presence." He smirked, "Especially Tala."  
  
The words were effective and Mr Dickenson heard a sharp intake of breath from behind him. He could see that Bruce was restraining himself though the dark-haired man was shooting daggers and bullets at Boris. The bladers watched the exchange with growing apprehension and bewilderment though something flickered in Ray's golden eyes if but for a second.  
  
"I'm afraid that I am going to have to ask you not to trouble these youngsters again for the rest of the evening." He spoke in a dead serious voice that no one had ever heard him use before.  
  
Boris held up his hand as if to hold off an attack.  
  
"I wish not for any conflict. It would appear that I have overstayed my welcome so I shall take my leave. We will see each other soon."  
  
He allowed his eyes the pleasure of studying the blue-haired boy's body before tearing them off and walking away.  
  
"What was that all about?" Tyson asked, looking between the manager and Kai.  
  
"Nothing, Tyson. Boris simply wishes to ruin your evening." Mr Dickenson kept his eyes on Boris till the man was out of sight and then turned to Kai who was collecting himself. For the boy to experience such fear from just seeing Boris his treatment at the director's hands must have been plainly barbaric.  
  
"Are you alright, Kai?" he asked softly when the other teens went back to their earlier conversation. His eyes soften when the bluenette shook his head. "Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"I need to be alone."  
  
"I do not think it wise to let you go off by yourself. Boris is around and-- "  
  
"Please, sir?" The crimson pairs begged the old man to understand. He needed to be away from all this celebrating and people. He needed some quiet time. In his mind he kept on replaying Boris smirking tone as he mentioned Tala's name. "I won't take long."  
  
He sighed. He would never forgive himself if anything was to happen to the phoenix but he knew that Kai would feel much more comfortable if he wasn't amongst so many people.  
  
"Alright," he removed a set of keys from his pockets, "these belong to the offices upstairs but I will not let you go without an escort."  
  
He spotted Bruce nearby talking with his father.  
  
"Bruce, a moment of your time, if you don't mind?"  
  
When the younger man came over he explained the plan to him.  
  
"Just make sure he reaches the offices safely. Give him 30 minutes and then go back for him. Does that sound okay to you, Kai?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Dickenson." His eyes darted about over the crowd, fearing to see Boris watching him. He took another mouthful of his glass.  
  
"Then we will meet you behind the stage in 30 minutes for the trophy exchange," he said as he took the vodka from the boy's hands. "And I would advise you to lay off the alcohol if just for tonight. Light headed is something we can't afford you to get."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Giving the room a final look he followed Bruce towards the elevators.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going?" Tyson had caught sight of them leaving.  
  
"Kai has something to attend to. He'll be back soon."  
  
"Oh." That was all that was needed to put the dragon at ease.  
  
However, while everyone went back to cheering on Tyson's outrageous poses, golden eyes remained on where their team captain had disappeared.  
  
'What is going on with you, Kai?'  
  
*************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
He hissed in pain, causing the hands that had been gently wiping the angry welts on his back with a soft cloth to pull away immediately.  
  
"Tala...?"  
  
Mutely, he nodded for the other to continue, feeling the bed shift beneath them as Kai resumed his spot next to the hurting redhead, sitting on the edge of the mattress as he took care of a particular swollen mark on one shoulder.  
  
"Almost done," he assured when the ten-year-old redhead flinched again.  
  
"What does it matter? He's going to do it again anyways..."  
  
Drying off his work, Kai watched his friend sadly before placing the things on the floor and lying down next to him. Tala turned his head to face him, remaining on his stomach. Sighing, he rested his forehead against Kai's, feeling the warm breath blowing softly on his face.  
  
"Thanks, Kai. I don't know what I would do without you."  
  
Brushing away the drying tears from Tala's face, Kai smiled softly.  
  
"I don't know what *I* would do without *you*. You're my best friend, Tala. I will do anything for you."  
  
"Me too. Nothing can ever make me break our friendship."  
  
They fell asleep with their promises and each other.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
Ice blue eyes watched from the shadowed hallway as Kai followed the other man down the hall. They stopped at an office door and the man opened it. After exchanging some words the man walked away as Kai closed the door. A soft click was heard as it was locked.  
  
He pulled out the blue and grey beyblade from his pocket, eyes studying the winged wolf in the middle which glowed with the want to help its master.  
  
Tears trickled from his eyes and he clutched the blade to his chest. The usual cold surface now warmed him but it did him little good. With a resolved breath he opened his eyes.  
  
"I am sorry, but I have no choice. Forgive me, Kai."  
  
tbc......  
  
**************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	9. chapter nine

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Boris, this is my grandson Kai."  
  
The tall, pale man looked down at the small boy who was craning his neck to meet his eyes, the boy reaching him barely at mid-thighs.  
  
"A magnificent specimen of a child, Lord Voltaire," Boris admitted to the older man. "You must be very proud."  
  
"That I am. Have our scientists examine him; I want the results by tomorrow evening at the latest. I am most curios at how he will score, though I predict high results."  
  
"He has potential. That I can see. He will make an excellent blader and soldier."  
  
"Then I leave him in your hands. I will return tomorrow morning."  
  
"Yes, my lord," he bowed.  
  
Meeting his grandson's questioning eyes, Voltaire tenderly caressed a smooth cheek.  
  
"Listen to Boris and do not disobey him. Understood?"  
  
"Yes, grandfather," Kai answered, looking back to the tall director who was studying him with much interest.  
  
"Good boy. I will return soon."  
  
When the dark cape vanished behind the closing door Kai turned to face his new tutor and trainer, not sure if he should say something or wait until given permission.  
  
"I've heard much about you, young Kai," Boris said instead, starting to circle the boy, studying him fully. "Your IQ is impressive for one your age and unless the charts lie you have the speed and strength to participate in our training program."  
  
"Yes, sir," he said, not knowing what else to say.  
  
"There's no need for formalities, Kai. Call me Boris."  
  
"Yes, si--Boris."  
  
"Now then, let us begin for we have much to do."  
  
Taking a small hand in his, he led the boy towards the dark stairwell that spiralled downwards, into the Abbey basement.  
  
Remembering his grandfather's words, Kai obeyed though the situation made him feel insecure. Also not improving his nervousness was the sinister grin on Boris face, grey eyes gleaming as he led the small boy into the darkness.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
Kai looked up from where Dranzer was spinning on the office's rug.  
  
He had been in deep, troubled thoughts the entire time but the sudden chill that swept through the building caused his muscles to tremble in hopes to generate some heat.  
  
Something was out there and he had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was. He could see the glow of a blue move before the small space between floor and door and heard an ever so soft growl that he would have recognized amongst a thousand growls.  
  
Throwing all of Mr Dickenson warnings in the wind, he grabbed Dranzer and ran to the door and flung it open. It slammed loudly against the wall behind it, echoing down the hall....which was empty.  
  
A movement out of the corner of his eye brought his attention and he turned to see the blue glow disappear around the bend at the end of the long corridor. Again a low rumble of a wolf's growl reached his ears and he followed.  
  
Looking down the new gallery he saw the tip of a bushy, blue tail get swallowed by the shadows of a dark staircase that led downwards. The cerulean hue faded as the creature descended.  
  
'Tala's down there.....'  
  
Looking back behind him to where he should be staying he took a deep breath and started down the stairs, taking two steps at a time before the growl could get out of hearing range.  
  
**********  
  
"10 minutes, Mr, Dickenson," a tall brunette informed him from where he had been talking with Judy, Bruce and Mr Granger.  
  
"Thank you, Ann." He turned to his companions. " The trophy will change hands within 10 minutes."  
  
"Better herd up the homies then." Mr Granger adjusted his tie as he stood.  
  
"I'll go get Kai."  
  
"Why did he leave anyway?" Judy inquired as she too stood up. She had been several feet away from the rest when Boris had brushed pass her, not even giving her a second glance. When she had finally reached them Kai was being led away by Tyson's father.  
  
"He just needed some space for himself," Bruce said quickly. He didn't like lying but Kai's situation was very personal and as Mr Dickenson had said it would destroy the fragile trust between them and the boy if they went about telling everyone.  
  
Without another word he turned and quickly headed for the stairs.  
  
Mr Dickenson took a step forward to get his team ready but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to find Judy standing there. Bright blue eyes held a light that warned him not to keep her in the dark.  
  
"Stanley, something is very wrong here. What is going on? Is it Kai?"  
  
"No, dear. All will be fine." He patted her hand and started off again when she spoke up in a voice only he could hear.  
  
"I saw the bruises."  
  
He blinked as the words registered but her eyes showed no deception. Taking her by the elbow gently he led her further away from the youngsters who were getting 'professional' advise from Mr Granger. Reaching the staircase that Bruce had just taken he finally spoke.  
  
"When did you see them?"  
  
The blond sighed and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms before her. Her eyes were downcast as she recalled her own shocking discovery.  
  
"It was after Ray's battle with Bryan. I came down to the locker room wanting to see if I could do anything to help. No one seemed to be there but then Kai rounded the lockers. I started calling out to him but..." She closed her eyes and shuddered. "His chest was bruised badly and there was a healing slash on his stomach. I was shocked but even more so when it became clear that he didn't even see me. He walked right past where I was standing between the lockers but never looked up! I don't know Kai as well as the others but I know him the type that always senses when someone is there."  
  
Blue eyes opened and turned to him.  
  
"Who did that to him? Was it Boris?"  
  
He sighed and removing his glasses he rubbed the bridge of his nose.  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"He also forced himself onto Kai, didn't he?"  
  
The accurate question almost made him drop his cane and he stared at the scientist in shock.  
  
"How..."  
  
"Kai wasn't wearing his belt so his jeans were riding low. I saw the bruises on his hips. And also I know that Boris had once been to court on accusation of raping and killing a child."  
  
"Where did you find that?" His people had been on Boris' case for years now yet this had never been told to him.  
  
"It was accidental. I was in the library trying to find some information on the Demolition Boys' history. All bladers' files are kept under lock and key so my search came up short but then while going through old newspaper articles I found one that spoke of a boy's body having been found in an alley. He had been raped and beaten to death. Teeth marks found on his shoulder matched the dental work of a person the papers had initialled B.B."  
  
"Boris Balcov," he gasped.  
  
She nodded and unconsciously allowed her eyes to wander over to check on Max who was happily joking along with Tyson.  
  
"They could not convict him since any other evidence had been tampered with. No doubt Voltaire's work. The whole thing was hushed up though I can't understand how that man was still given command of an abbey filled with young boys. So, did he do that to Kai?"  
  
She was burning up inside with natural protectiveness. No one, be it family or stranger, was ever allowed to touch a child, especially not in that manner. The manager's next words almost knocked her off her feet.  
  
"Yes. It was Boris. And Voltaire as well."  
  
Her mouth fell open. Looking over to where Tyson and his own grandfather were competing for camera attention, striking poses and laughing as they tried to out do each other, she could not find it in her to ever see Voltaire as human. How far would one go to have all power?  
  
They were interrupted by heavy footsteps that were quickly making their way back down the stairs and soon Bruce appeared, eyes wide and breathing laboured.  
  
"He's not there!"  
  
"What?!" He gripped his cane to the point of almost breaking it.  
  
"He's gone. The office is empty." Bruce found his breath but the tightness in his chest didn't go away. Concern was gripping at his heart.  
  
"Were there any signs of a struggle?"  
  
"Not a struggle but something really...bizarre. The walls on both side of the hallway have several gashes in them, like someone had taken a large knife and slash it here and there. The damage is at an even height of some six feet above the floor. I also found this in the hall outside of the office I had left Kai in." He held out something in his palm that still glowed a faint blue.  
  
"Glass?" Mr Dickenson asked as he studied the object but Judy took it and held it up.  
  
"Crystal," she corrected, "though I have never seen any stone being able to glow like this without the need of light reflection. This is coming from within. Strange." Somewhere in the back of her mind she recognized it but could fit it in anywhere.  
  
"Whatever it is it has something to do with Kai's disappearance. I must alert the agents--"  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 45th annual Beyblade Championship Ceremony. I'm D.J. Jazzman and I will be your host for this evening."  
  
"Go, Jazzman!!" Tyson shouted from where the team stood on the stage. Max covered his mouth, allowing Jazzman to continue. Ray however kept on looking around. So were many people in the audience who had also noticed the absence of the team captain.  
  
"...And here to speak for the Bladebreakers is their manager, head chair man of the BBA, Mr Stanley K. Dickenson!"  
  
"What are we going to do?" Judy asked worriedly as the crowd turned towards them, awaiting the old man to climb the stage. He pressed his cell phone into her hand.  
  
"Call the number you'll find in here. I have our agents on alert. Tell them what has transpired and they will do the rest. Bruce, try and see if you can find anything else that will lead us to Kai and keep in touch with Judy until the ceremony is over."  
  
"Will do." He watched the older man put on his friendly face as he made his way to the stage, shaking hands and smiling as best he could.  
  
"Judy, tell my father. It will be better if he knows also. That way he can keep an eye on the others. Just make sure that Tyson and his friends don't find out. The moment the ceremony is over have them get back onto the busses immediately and send them back to the hotel. We don't know what we are dealing with but Boris will do anything to save his skin."  
  
"Got it. Be careful," she said as he turned and climbed back up the stairs.  
  
Opening the cell phone she found the number and speed-dialled.  
  
"Yes, this is Judy Tate speaking. We have a situation..."  
  
*************  
  
Reaching the bottom step, Kai looked around the area. He was in the old garage by the looks of it. He had never been there before but Kenny, as always, had told them everything there was to know about the arena and its sections. This place hadn't been used in years ever since a newer garage had been built above ground level.  
  
'This place gives me the creeps.'  
  
He walked around a large puddle that had formed beneath a leaking water pipe that ran along the ceiling. He left a trail of footprints in the dust caked floor as he studied the surroundings.  
  
The air was stale and dust floated about. New dust arose from the ground with each step he took. As he passed he made sure not to touch the walls which were covered with grime. Everything about the place was brooding and brought back vivid memories of the abbey's dungeons.  
  
Searching he could not find the light he had been following. Something was very wrong here and he shouldn't have left the office.  
  
"I have to get out of here. Mr Dickenson will get worried."  
  
Just as he thought this two thick arms came from behind him and wrapped themselves around his torso, purposefully squeezing his injuries. He cried out in surprise and pain and tried to throw them off but the person was stronger and his hold was like steel. Hot breath swept his ear as his attacker whispered into it.  
  
"It's been a while since I've held you like this, hasn't it, Kai?"  
  
All struggles came to a halt and he stiffened almost to the point of breaking his spine.  
  
He had expected a hired hit-man.  
  
He had expected Boris.  
  
He had never expected...  
  
"Grandfather?" he asked thought there was no mistaking the voice. The hot breath on his neck made him shiver, his spine feeling like ice.  
  
"I've missed you back home, grandson. How many nights I laid there thinking of you."  
  
"Let me go." He squirmed, hoping to wriggle his way out but it only hurt his bruises even more.  
  
"I don't have to." Voltaire ran a hand down his grandson's painted cheek. "No one is here to stop me. Don't you want to spend some quality time together?"  
  
Shying away from the touch he kept his eyes averted at all times. He didn't want the old man to see that he was afraid.  
  
"What have you done with Tala? Where is my friend?"  
  
"Friend?" Voltaire barked incredulously, "You certainly know how to choose your friends, grandson. With friends like him you need no enemy."  
  
He started to lead the unwilling boy further into the more secluded part of the garage: a badly lit hallway that led to the locker rooms.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
He resisted as best he could but he knew he could never hope to overpower his grandfather. His own physical strength was no where near that of Voltaire. But it was his mentality that weighted him down more; how could he fight against a man who had always been able to dominate him for so many years?  
  
"Did you not follow something down here? A blue wolf, perhaps?" Voltaire smirked as he pulled the slender body closer. God, he had yearned to feel the heavenly boy against him once more for so long. "Your pretty friend has very strange ways of proven how much he values this precious friendship you speak of."  
  
Kai gasped.  
  
"You're lying! Tala would never do that!"  
  
"Oh he wouldn't, would he? Then how do you explain this?"  
  
He swung open a door and Kai's struggle stopped once more. Not from fear, but disbelief.  
  
Tala stood from where he had been sitting on the bench. His eyes locked with the crimson pair of the boy that Voltaire held with fierce possessiveness. For that one moment all his injuries and inner fear seemed irrelevant to the pain of betrayal in Kai's eyes.  
  
The bluenette shook his head.  
  
"...No...No!! You tricked him! He would never do this on his own free will!"  
  
"He had a choice and you came up on the short end. Isn't that right, Tala?" He ran his fingers through Kai's soft, blue hair almost lovingly as he placed a soft kiss on the pale skin right behind and below an ear.  
  
Kai jerked his head away, his eyes never leaving Tala.  
  
"He's lying, isn't he? Tell me he's lying, Tala!"  
  
His confidence dampened when Tala faltered to answer. Why couldn't he even looking him in the eyes?  
  
"Tala....tell him..." he almost begged.  
  
He didn't want to believe that his friend would do this to him. Not after all the years they had spend looking out for one another. Tala would never hurt him or place him in harm's way and vice versa....right?  
  
"Did you do this, Tala? Did you sell me out?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Kai. I...I had no choice."  
  
Tala's voice was thick with tears.  
  
The confession hit him hard. It felt like someone had promptly dumped a bucket load of ice cold water over him for now his whole body felt numb as did his mind. His heart was the only thing he could feel and it pained him. Badly. Nothing Voltaire had ever done to him before had ever hurt this much. This was the first time in his life that words had ever hurt him.  
  
"The world is so full of betrayal," Voltaire smirked. "It looks like you have no one to turn to now, Kai. Your so-called best friend is nothing but a traitor."  
  
"It's not like that!" Tala's eyes shimmered with emotions. "They set me up! You have to believe me, Kai! I would rather die than let anyone touch you! But they made me choose between you and my team!"  
  
"What type of person would choose anyone over his best friend?" Voltaire challenged though his attention was more on removing the white scarf around Kai's neck.  
  
"Kai, please--"  
  
"Enough talk! I have a plane to catch...though I do think that I have enough time to reacquaint myself with my grandson." He appraisingly ran his eyes over Kai.  
  
With a speed that caught both teens by surprise he shoved Kai forward onto the floor and followed him down. He produced a piece of cloth from somewhere in his coat and a strong smell of ether invaded the room. Grabbing Kai's wrists, he smothered the boy's mouth and nose with the cloth. The drug took effect almost immediately as Kai's struggles grew weaker.  
  
"Kai!"  
  
Tala started forward, tears in his eyes. His progress was brought to a searing halt when a fist came seemingly out of nowhere and caught him in the stomach. He felt the stitches in the wounds burst and the warmth of blood started to spread over his stomach, staining the sweater and soon dripping onto the ground.  
  
Clutching his stomach in agony he was helpless when a rough hand grabbed his hair and wrenched his head up to look into Boris' smirking face.  
  
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to interfere in other people's affairs?" With a laugh he grabbed an upper arm and started to drag the boy away from where Voltaire was busy unbuckling Kai's belt. "We should leave them alone. They probably want their privacy."  
  
Tala tried to get to Kai but with each move his injuries tore more and pain was starting to overcome him; it was unbearable but he would have happily lived with it if it would spare the fearful moan Kai made when Voltaire need fully pulled off his loose pants.  
  
"Don't touch him! Take me instead!! Damn it!!" Tala shouted but Biovolt's leader was in his own world as he swept his hands over and between his grandson's legs. Kai's movements were sluggish but still his hands tried to protect himself but they were slapped away.  
  
Boris managed to get him out the door and once in the hallway he was slammed against the opposite wall with much force. Hard lips crashed down hard on his and hands gripped his hips so hard he feared that they would damage the bone there. The director's own hips ground against his with a predator-like need.  
  
Just when spots started to appear before his eyes from lack of air Boris pulled away. He gasped on the stale air, both in lack thereof and pain. His clothes were soaked with blood and the red substance was starting to spill from his mouth as his ribs gave way under the pressure and punctured his lungs. His breathing became raspy and gurgled as the liquid poured into his windpipe.  
  
Boris pulled away and smiled. Lifting a hand he traced the high cheekbone before gripping the boy's face painfully.  
  
"For eleven years I took care of you as well as simply took you. I remember every scream, every plea, every wound, and every tear that you have shed in my bed, on my desk, on the floor, against the wall. You can not do as much as even blink without me knowing. 'Tis a shame that tomorrow we must part. You will be taken away by some stranger who will ravage you every night and in between his meetings. And I will spend the remaining nights of my life alone."  
  
"Bullshit!" Tala choked on his blood, "You'll simply grab the next kid who walks pass you."  
  
"Either way, your future looks very bad. You don't know what this man could be like. He could be a cold, heartless bastard who will hurt you for his pleasure."  
  
"And you're not?" His reward for that was a solid punch that made him reel and had it not been for Boris holding him he would have fallen.  
  
"Don't make me tame that tongue of yours, boy. Since you won't be persuaded I will be blunt. Since Voltaire has gotten his hands on Kai he has changed his mind about founding my research. I now have the money and I am considering buying you back. We have been together too long to let something as petty as money pull us apart."  
  
Had he not been in such teeth grinding pain Tala would have rolled his eyes at that but he simply moaned as another stitch suddenly snapped, painfully ripping away at his already tender flesh.  
  
"So what do you say, Tala? Do you want to return to the Abbey?"  
  
The pain made it hard to speak so he simply spat in the grinning face, feeling some satisfaction as the bloodied saliva hit the man in the eye.  
  
"You little cunt!"  
  
He backhanded him with such force that the boy's head connected with the wall behind him, knocking him out temporarily. Holding the limp body he smirked and pushed open the door nearby and carried the blader inside. It turned out to be an old storage room filled with crates that were layered with dust and cobwebs.  
  
He placed Tala on the nearest crate, keeping the boy waist height. His breathing laboured, he searched his coat for the handcuffs he had taken off the thin wrist just an hour ago. All the while his eyes watched the body's movements as Tala slowly came to.  
  
The metal click of handcuffs sounded loudly but he was barely even aware when his arms were roughly yanked above his head and cuffed to the pipes that ran along the wall. Something pulled at his sweater before he felt the slight graze of a knife cut through the material. His lungs struggled for air, unintentionally causing him even more pain as the muscles contracted against the broken rib, driving it deeper into his flesh.  
  
"I gave you a choice. You've brought this upon yourself. If I can't have you, no one can!"  
  
Bony fingers wrapped around his throat and he gasped. He was going to be strangled and abandoned in this place. With his hands cuffed above him he had no way of protecting himself.  
  
"You were born in filth. Now die in it!"  
  
Boris tightened his hold on the smooth neck while his other pulled at the dark pants, not worrying that each tug caused the wounds to open even more. When the pants were finally removed he smiled and with his free hand he removed the small black mask from his pockets and put it on.  
  
Tala gasped when his legs were wrenched apart despite his efforts. The fingers around his throat tightened as the man penetrated him, cutting off all cries for help. Once again the world was going black but this time he would not wake up. Agony seared through him and he finally broke down into sobs. His back arched almost complete off the dusty crate but the handcuffs prevented him from much movement.  
  
"All of this is your fault. I raised you to be the best blader. You brought this upon yourself," Boris grunted as he thrust into the child's body.  
  
The satanic red eyes that peered at him from out of the mask slowly began to shift from shape and intensity until they were a soft scarlet.  
  
Soft scarlet which would light up with joy...  
  
Soft scarlet that would dim with sadness...  
  
Soft scarlet that would shimmer with love...  
  
'Kai,, I am not strong enough to survive this but you are. Please, find a way out....' He bit his lip when a deep thrust tore him even more. Forcing himself to focus he sent out all his prayers and wishes to his best friend. And his team. Where ever they were he hoped that they were alright. He wish he could tell them how proud and honoured he was to have been their captain.  
  
Boris smiled when the breathing grew fainter and fainter and the skin paler and paler. Gripping the hips which were sticky with blood he leaned forward, wanting to be the last thing the boy saw before he finally let go of life.  
  
"Weak. Your mother saw in you what I should have seen; a pathetic, wretched punk whose only place in life is always on the bottom."  
  
His hold on the now badly bruised neck didn't waver but the boy's breathing did drastically.  
  
He had long lost feeling in his hands and arms but now he felt control of his body slowly slipping away as his heart beat lessened with every second.  
  
"I hope that the devil himself will have as much fun with you in hell as I did. When I die, make sure that you are there to greet me when I come down."  
  
His eyes fluttered shut and he took his final breath, choking out a last word.  
  
"...Kai..."  
  
Boris grinned when the boy's breathing stopped all together. With a final thrust he came and pulled out of the still teen.  
  
Leaning over the still body, he ran a finger over the delicate face, tracing the slightly blue lips and closed eyes, studying his latest victim.  
  
"Don't feel too bad, Tala. There is simply no place on this earth for failures."  
  
"So why are you still here?" a deep voice snarled from behind him.  
  
He spun at the voice but a fist flew out at lightning speed and smashed squarely into his face, the impact breaking his nose and propelling him backwards to land on the dust covered floor. His head caught on the edge of a wooden crate on the way down and knocked him out.  
  
Not even giving the unconscious man a second glance, Bruce made his way over to where the teen laid, unmoving and not breathing.  
  
"Tala? Tala!"  
  
He feared the worse as he pressed his fingers against the black and blue neck, praying to find even the slightest of pulse.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Come on, kid. Breathe," he whispered trying to get life back in the beaten body.  
  
When words didn't work he removed the torn shirt completely, wincing at the bruises and blood but with a firm resolve he began to rub the area of skin over the heart, a technique taught to him since his work would sometimes bring him and his team hundreds of miles away from any medical facilities. It was a crude form of CPR, which he didn't dare do out of fear of breaking the boy's no doubt fragile ribs.  
  
"Wake up, Tala..."  
  
After a couple of minutes he felt his heart sink when he still hadn't picked up something but then he felt a small thud against his fingertips. It was followed by another. And then another. Slowly the lungs discovered the reopened airway and started to fill themselves once more. The red-head groaned and shifted but his hands were still bound above him.  
  
Blue eyes drowsily opened, blinking once in incoherency. They blinked again but clenched back shut when he coughed up bright red blood. The teen had serious internal injuries which worried Bruce since he couldn't tell the extent of them.  
  
Calling upon his skills as field medic once more, he removed his tuxedo and pressed it gently but firmly against the largest wound on the quivering stomach.  
  
Tala cried out softly as his lungs filled with more air. Watery blue eyes turned to the source of his pain. When he finally noticed the dark-haired man who was partially leaning over him, he made a small sound that was a whimper and a cry at the same time and attempted to get away, pulling his torn body to put as much distance as bearably possible between him and this new person.  
  
Bruce feared the boy would bring more damage upon himself and talking softly he took hold of the upper arms, holding the boy still.  
  
The action made Tala jump, whimpering and begging softly in his native language to be released.  
  
"Tala, stay still," Bruce said calmly, keeping his words soft as to not alarm the red-head even more. "I'm not going to hurt you. I need you to stop moving around or you will injure yourself."  
  
"Don't...touch...help..." the boy rambled, too overcome with fright, trauma and pain to speak straight.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you. And I am helping you. I'll take you to the hospital. I'll take you away from all this."  
  
His words finally computed and Tala warily met his eyes.  
  
"Take...me a-away?"  
  
"Boris won't hurt you anymore, Tala. The police will be here soon and bring him to prison. You don't have to be afraid."  
  
He didn't respond but he did fall still, still eyeing the man warily but understanding that he meant no harm.  
  
Sighing in relief, Bruce returned his attention to the external wounds, checking the flat stomach where the blood had almost soaked his jacket. Picking up the discarded sweater the teen had been wearing, he gently made a make-shift bandage, wrapping it around the thin torso and securing it gently but tightly.  
  
"Who...are you?" Tala managed to ask with much difficulty, watching his saviour, his eyes telling Bruce that he recognized him but couldn't place a finger on it.  
  
"Bruce Granger," he said, then added "Tyson's dad," for security.  
  
He couldn't quite remember but it eased him and he laid back, breathing heavily against the pain.  
  
Tyson...  
  
Bladebreakers...  
  
...Kai!  
  
He sat up abruptly, his arms twisting painfully as they were still retrained. His stomach muscles clenched at the action and a trail of blood trickled from beneath the cloths wrapped around the wound as it was squeezed further open. The pain made his shout out and fresh tears ran on their own accord down his cheeks.  
  
"Easy!" Bruce said, startled himself by the sudden movement and its effect on the body.  
  
Ignoring the man's words, he swallowed a ball of blood before saying,  
  
"Y-You have t-to....have to...help K-Kai."  
  
"Don't ta-- What about Kai?" He turned his full attention to the blue eyes.  
  
Noise from outside the hall startled both as voices rang through the narrow passage, shouting out orders. Rapid footsteps were to be heard as were doors being forced open. A dog barking echoed loudly and soon a black nose poked around the doorway followed by the pointed snout of a German Shepard. A man in uniform stepped into view. Seeing the two he turned and shouted to the others. He then entered and took in the situation, his eyes falling on Boris who had yet to wake up.  
  
"Sergeant Johan Bocadiv, BBA secret service."  
  
"Bruce Granger."  
  
"How is he?" Bocadiv asked while examining the handcuffs that were cruelly bruising the slender wrists. Turning he shouted out something in Russian before starting to go over the numerous injuries.  
  
Removing the now soaked tuxedo he scowled and shot a death glare to Boris.  
  
"We've been trying to get him for years but he always managed to cover up his tracks."  
  
Three other agents ran in. Two of them cuffed Boris and carried off his unresisting body. The third held a small black kit from which she removed a small iron staff that was bent at the end. Giving the barely coherent teen a reassuring smile she leaned in and started to pick the lock. Not five seconds went by when the lock gave way and the cuffs sprang open. Bruce and Bocadiv caught Tala and laid him down gently on a blanket that had been spread out on the floor. Some higher power must have finally had mercy on the boy as he had slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
"The medics will be here within a few minutes."  
  
"Good thing. He was lucky that I was able to find him."  
  
"How did you manage to do that? I must say that even I, who work here, had almost forgotten of this place," Bocadiv admitted as he wrapped the shivering body in a thick blanket. Thankfully the blood wasn't flowing so much but the boy had to be brought to a hospital immediately.  
  
"I followed these." Bruce pulled out and held out a small shard of crystal from his pocket. "At first I had no idea what they were but then I realised that they came from his bit beast. That creature is so big its wings scraped the walls as it walked down the hall., breaking off these crystals and leaving a trail." He turned to Bocadiv suddenly, "He is fortunate that I found him but my real reason for being here was because I was looking for another teen. Kai Hiwatari."  
  
"Does this belong to him?" One of the men who had brought away Boris re- entered holding a long, white cloth...spotted with blood.  
  
"That's his scarf!" Bruce took it from him. Yes. This was positively the scarf that the phoenix never went anywhere without, mainly thanks to Boris and Voltaire. "Is he alright?"  
  
"We don't know."  
  
"What do you mean?!"  
  
"We found this in an abandoned room a few doors down. It was lying on the floor alongside this." The officer placed several pieces of something in his hand.  
  
Dranzer's blade...completely destroyed.  
  
tbc.......  
  
*************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	10. chapter ten

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of her characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me so do not touch. I am not making any money off of this and write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: In the episode 'Victory in Defeat' (the episode where Kai vs. Spencer), when the Bladebreakers first see Voltaire standing above them Kai mentions (or thinks to himself anyways) "To think that I once loved him." Sooo, it is obvious that there must have been a time when the two of them *kinda* got along. Being the person that I am I will, of course, twist this a bit.  
  
************  
  
"Mr Dickenson?"  
  
"Yes?" He stood from where he had been sitting next to Bruce talking. The doctor's face was dark though he had known that the news would not be good. Still, he had hoped...  
  
"A word with you, if you don't mind." The doctor turned to Bruce, Mr. Granger and Judy. "With all of you."  
  
"What's wrong? How's Tala?" Tyson asked from where he sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor. "Is he going to be alright?"  
  
The stares of all those young eyes on him, begging him to tell them that the red-head would make it through just fine, was hard to keep and he was forced to avoid them and looked back towards the four adults.  
  
"It depends. I would like to discuss this with you first."  
  
"But what happened to Tala? Was he attacked?"  
  
"And what about the others?"  
  
"And where's Kai?"  
  
"Enough!" Mr. Dickenson lowered his voice when 16 pairs of wide eyes turned on him. "We are all concerned but it is in times like these that you must keep your wits. Now, the four of us are going to talk with the doctor. You all stay here until we come back."  
  
"Is Kai is danger?" Max's big eyes started to water. "Is someone going to beat him like Tala and the others were beaten?"  
  
"We will get Kai back, Max. But...just stay here until we come back." Judy kept her tone positive though her heart was all but. When Bruce had returned with a bloodied Tala without Kai she had felt the panic well up inside her.  
  
"But mom--"  
  
"The more questions you ask, the longer we are delayed, Max. Just drop it for now, okay?" Ray leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes closed. He was starting to understand why Kai always did this; it made you think clearer when you were relaxed and with your eyes closed you were not distracted by anything else.  
  
"We will be right back." Mr. Dickenson mentally congratulated Ray. The Chinese boy seemed to have adopted the role as the voice of reason of the team. Without their captain and eldest member, the younger Bladebreakers were lost and confused. Ray had instinctively taken over.  
  
'Ray would make a good captain, but I pray that we won't have to name him officially.' To do that would mean that Kai was truly gone and that was something he was unwilling to accept. 'How could all of this have happened? This was supposed to be a time of celebration, not mourning.'  
  
He was glad and proud that the youngsters had shown such compassion and care for the four wounded Russian beybladers. He just wished that they had never found out at all.  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Have you searched the rest of the garage?" He held the crumbled pieces of the former blue blade in his clenched hand. Looking up he watched as the ambulance's blue and red lights disappeared around the corner as it sped towards the hospital.  
  
"The police are still at it but it was as if he just vanished into thin air." Bruce leaned against the wall, a blanket draped over his shoulder to stave off the chill he could now feel since his black tuxedo was drenched in blood. Still, he doubted the shivers to be caused by the cold. It was the thought that a young bluenette was no where to be found that churned and goose bumps to form on his skin.  
  
"Officer Bocadiv has hounds all over the place and choppers and search parties covering the ground but so far they haven't found anything."  
  
He slammed his fist against the brick wall behind him.  
  
"Damnit! I should have gone to find him sooner! What if Boris has already killed him?! I shouldn't have left him alone!"  
  
"Be at peace, Bruce," he placed a comforting hand on the broad shoulder. "You have to pull yourself to together. Blaming yourself will not bring Kai back. We need to collect our wits. It is hard, but any mistakes now could prove lethal."  
  
He was about to speak when the door near to them opened. Two men came hurrying outside, their fine clothes were wrinkled and covered in red blood but they didn't even notice it, both faces distraught. Catching sight of the chairman and his friend, they ran over.  
  
"Stanley! We need you to come! There's been an incident."  
  
"We know, he's been taken to the hospital--"  
  
"No, he's still inside!"  
  
"Who?" Tala had been hurt and Kai was gone; so who could they possibly be talking about?  
  
"One of the Demolition Boys. Bryan, I believe."  
  
"What?!" Bruce ran inside while the older men followed at a somewhat slower pace.  
  
"How did this happen?" Mr Dickenson panted as he hurried next to the news bearers. Already Bruce had disappeared from view ahead of them.  
  
"Out of the blue, during the trophy hand-over, Bryan was about to give it to Ray when he suddenly collapsed. He started to cough up massive amount of blood and is seemingly in a state of complete shock. We don't know what caused it."  
  
He did. Kai's words from the night before came back to him;  
  
'They are hurting them...You can't begin to understand what goes on within those walls...'  
  
No, he couldn't, but he had an idea of how beastly the children were now being treated. He just hoped that they could end it before someone ended up dead.  
  
He had prepared himself for what would have followed but still he felt his heart swell in anger and despair once they entered the large ballroom. People were shouting and running back and forth, cell phones against their ears as they called the hospital. Many stood still in shock of what was happening.  
  
Ignoring the questions that were thrown at him, he pushed his way through the crowd towards the stage. Climbing the steps, he made his way to the centre. All the teens were there and he sighed; he had wished that they wouldn't have found out like this. Passing the White Tigers he stepped into the circle.  
  
Sure enough, the lilac-hair blader laid on the floor, a large puddle of blood beneath him and more spewing from his mouth. The purple eyes were now white with pain and darted back and forth frantically as he gripped Ian's gloved hand in desperation. The burly blond figure of Spencer knelt next to the small friend though he didn't know what to do. Another blonde sat opposite them on the other side of Bryan, her hands checking the gasping teen's pulse as she spoke softly to him. Behind her, Mr Granger was making sure that the other bladers gave them enough room to work. The look on the senior's face was grave with concern, something that was very rare in itself.  
  
Ambulances had arrived and carried all three Russians to the hospital as it was quickly discovered that Ian and Spencer's conditions were near critical. They had hid it well but the medics saw past it. The adults had tried to get the teens to board the busses back to their hotel but they were having none of that, insisting to accompany them to hospital. Especially Tyson, who must have been feeling the guilt of his earlier opinion of the Russian team.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
'And to make things even worse, now Kai is in Voltaire's hands.'  
  
He had been surprised and suspicious when Ian had tugged on his suit, telling him that the senior Hiwatari had no doubt taken Kai. The small boy's eyes were free of all deceit and held only concern for his friends and Stanley found himself believing him, especially since he knew that Voltaire had been the one who had hurt Kai for the first, though not last, time.  
  
"In here."  
  
The doctor's voice broke through his thoughts as they were directed into a room.  
  
Judy recovered first and walked over to the bed and sat down in the chair, her blue eyes filled with motherly concern. She raised a slightly trembling hand to brush a lock of the red hair that fell over the pale face but the boy did not stir.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
The answer was obvious but he feared that Tala had internal injuries that he could not see. The sight of the once confident and strong teen laying on the white sheets that were just a bit whiter than his skin was something he had never known would have affected him so badly. Rival or not, this was a child for Christ sakes!  
  
"I am surprised that he still lives. The list of injuries is long. Too long..." the doctor murmured as he checked a machine that beeped weakly with each heartbeat monitored. "The injuries are external, internal and mental. The wounds on his stomach were no doubt made my quick swipes with a sharp object, no doubt a knife. His back is covered with healing whip lashes."  
  
"Do you have an idea how long he has had them?" Bruce asked as he watched Judy take a hold of a bandaged hand, stroking the limp hand with her thumb in a soothing way.  
  
"It's hard to tell. The open ones look to be about a week old. Yet beneath them he has scars that were no doubt inflicted as early as six years old. Also, we have found several broken bones that had never fully mended properly; they had been broken also around the age of six or seven. From what I've gathered he's been severely beaten all his life."  
  
"What other damages are there?" Mr Granger asked though he didn't really want to know. When Judy had told him what was going on it had taken him all his self-control not to search out Boris and give the man a serious pounding.  
  
"As before mentioned he has many broken bones, especially his ribs. Three of them had punctured his lungs. We operated to repair the broken walls of his lungs though we have to operate again to repair his ribs. The knife had stabbed several places in his stomach which led to heavy internal bleeding. And there's a hairline fracture on the back of his skull. Luckily the brain was not injured though his mental health..."  
  
He sighed, unsure how to continue but forced himself to approach the next, more difficult topic.  
  
"I suppose you know already that he has been sexually assaulted?"  
  
"We do." Bruce sat down, horrid memories of Boris with the teen in the dank storage room grating at his mind.  
  
"What do you make of it?" Sitting down next to his son, Mr Granger's face was stern though his eyes held deep concern.  
  
"I have never encountered a person in such a state. His assailant had been...barbaric. That's the only thing I can describe it by though that is not saying enough. He has been forced upon many, many times and the coupling had been vicious. The...semen...we found in him suggest that it was more than one man. We found 5 different types. From the bruises and lacerations on his wrists and the shoulder dislocation on his left it is very clear that he had been tied down. In fact, I believe he had been bound for some time."  
  
"He couldn't even protect himself."  
  
They turned to Judy though her eyes never left the serene face. The blue orbs watered and her voice was strained. This was too much, too fucking much.  
  
"He was tied down like some animal and treated far worse. He wasn't even given anything to eat and he's badly dehydrated. Am I right?"  
  
The doctor nodded solemnly.  
  
"Whoever his captor was they had been keeping him alive on several medications and vitamins which were no doubt injected into him. His body cells began to die anyways. Most noticeably are his eyes."  
  
"What's wrong with them?" Bruce asked concerned. He hadn't noticed anything wrong with the boy's eyes. "They seemed alright to me. Has he gone blind?!"  
  
"No, no," the doctor calmed them, waving the idea away with his clipboard. "He was wearing contacts which brightened his eyes but once we took them out we were taken back by the severe pigment die out that had taken place; his true eye colour has paled to a pasty grey."  
  
The room fell silent as they processed the information. The only sound was the beeping of the machines and the occasional sniffle from Judy who dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. Bruce wringed his hands, not knowing whether to ask his question or not but concern won over.  
  
"Will he live?"  
  
The doctor sighed and ran his hand over his face, massaging the bridge of his nose. Taking a deep breath he turned serious but sad eyes on them.  
  
"His chance of survival is less than 10%."  
  
Bruce hung his head, gripping his tousled black hair. Mr Granger clasped his shoulder though the news hit him just as hard.  
  
"Take it easy, Bruce. Tala is one tough dude. He is fighting the best he can."  
  
"I waited too long. I should have been there sooner. Boris wouldn't have had the time to hurt him and Kai would still be with us."  
  
It was strange; neither boys were his nor had he ever known them until meeting his son's team just recently. Even then Tala was a complete stranger. But he kept on seeing the scared, hurt eyes of the young boy when he had found him the dark, dusty garage. He had heard the loss of hope in the soft voice and seen the dying of a fiery soul in the blue eyes.  
  
"And what about the others? How are Spencer, Ian and Bryan?" Mr Dickenson asked, hoping to bring up some better news.  
  
"Similar treatment though no where near the devastation young Tala has been through."  
  
He opened the file he carried and looked it over once.  
  
"Bryan is currently still in surgery. A rib had suddenly popped and broken the tissue of his lungs. We found metal clasps had been holding it in place though they had been placed there rather carelessly. The surgeons weren't very good, it seems."  
  
"They are the best there are, but the clasps had been purposefully implanted wrong."  
  
"Boris?" Mr Granger asked his fellow senior who nodded. "That Bastard..."  
  
"Well, we are correcting that, which had no doubt caused his collapse. His left leg will also be operated on. The shin has been almost cleaved in two. It must have taken a hard impact, causing the bone to split. Again, it had been treated but not properly."  
  
He sighed but went on.  
  
"Ian seems the luckiest of them all though his arm is broken and he has a head wound that we are going to keep closely monitored. And Spencer...I fear we do not have the equipment to try and restore his sight, not with how it has already been tampered with. I have contacted surgeons outside of Russia and quite a number will be flying over to see what they can do but the chances are rather slim."  
  
"I see..."  
  
Knowing that the four would want to discuss things amongst themselves the doctor excused himself and left the room, giving them some space.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" Mr Granger asked when the silence became too loud.  
  
"The police are leading a search party to try and find Kai. Our only hope of finding him is lying before us, unconscious and possibly dying. Three other teens are in serious conditions. We have a roomful of confused teens waiting us a few halls down."  
  
Mr Dickenson tapped his cane thoughtfully on the tiles as he ran through the list.  
  
"At least we can be grateful for some things. The officials have acquired a warrant and will search the Abbey. It will be closed down and the children will be sent to other foster homes or back to their parents since some had been kidnapped. The workers will be questioned and maybe then we will get more information on the happenings in the Abbey."  
  
"And that sick demon is now behind bars." Judy's voice held a content fierceness that they had never heard before. "I dearly wish that he will be executed. With his history record there is no way that they will ever release him from prison."  
  
"That's too easy a way out," Bruce argued as he came to stand next to the bed, eyes on the still figure as he watched the bandaged chest rise and fall ever so faintly and unevenly. "But he will be punished. I can guarantee you that."  
  
She cupped one side of the boy's face.  
  
"How could this have been allowed to happen? How could a person be so beastly as to bring harm to a child? How could Boris live with himself every time he looked down into those frightened eyes while he..."  
  
She could not finish the sentence but they knew what she meant and asked themselves the same thing.  
  
"How could a grandfather be so beastly as to bring harm to his own grandson?" Mr Granger balled his fists. "I will never strike Tyson, not even if the devil himself took command of me. What could be going on in Voltaire's mind every time he forced himself on Kai?"  
  
"He has no mind. He has no heart. He's simply full of himself." She turned determined eyes on the three men. "And I believe that he hurts Kai in ways far worse than Boris did Tala."  
  
"We've got to find him before its too late."  
  
Gripping his cane, he rose to his feet and walked to stand before the window. While the others discussed possible tactics behind him he heard nothing as he stared out over the city.  
  
Such a large place...  
  
Such a large land...  
  
He could be anywhere...  
  
"Where are you, young Kai?"  
  
*************  
  
Nothing stirred in the large chamber except for a slight draft that fluttered past the long drapes and over the thick carpet. Still it was enough to disturb his unwanted, but needed, sleep.  
  
Fighting to remain in the blissful pain-free world of unconsciousness he soon surrendered and his eyes opened. He found himself staring up at a ceiling that somehow seemed vaguely familiar. Awareness returned with a brutal blow and he shot up.  
  
"No..."  
  
A desk stood opposite the bed which he was laying in. Several books and school supplies still laid where they had been left though not a speck of dust was on them. The plush chair behind the desk was pushed slightly backwards, its feet having permanently left deep grooves in the carpet from having been standing there for the past many years. Against the wall to his left was a large closet whose doors were still open and half the contents had been removed, the other half left carelessly strewn over the floor, leading to a suitcase that sat open, packed messily with clothes and personal belongings.  
  
"No...Not here...please, no..."  
  
Looking down he cried out and jumped from the bed when he saw the once red stain, now brown with age, on the white sheets he had been laying on.  
  
"No!"  
  
Trembling, he backed up until he met solid wall. It was when he felt the cold surface did he realise his shirt was missing. He still wore his baggy pants but it was evident that someone had pulled them back on in a hurry. There was no pain to prove that the person had done anything to him, or maybe he was too terrified to feel it.  
  
This place...his old room...  
  
Everything was exactly how he had been forced to leave them.  
  
Memories of his attempted escape resurfaced...  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
A small child, no older than eight, grabbed blindly at the clothes from the closet, stopping only to wipe away the tears from his crimson eyes. Brushing away slate-coloured bangs that hung in his face, he sobbed as he tried to jam everything into the small suitcase that sat on the floor nearby. Outside the night was dark and silent and the moon stood high in the black sky. The smallest sounds made his eyes dart towards the doors of his room like a frightened rabbit before continuing with his desperate packing.  
  
'Got to get away...Got to get away...'  
  
He yelped when he accidentally hit his arm against the edge of the suitcase, the unrelenting material jabbing cruelly at the big bruise that ran along his under forearm. Cradling the hurting arm against his chest, he continued.  
  
Heavy footsteps sounded from down the hall and he froze.  
  
'No! He's not supposed to be back from his meeting already! He can't be!'  
  
Whimpering, he frantically tried to cover up his attempted escape and started to push the clothes back into the closet, ignoring his body's protest as he pushed it beyond its limits. Behind him he heard the footsteps stop before the door and the lock clicked audibly. The heavy doors started to open but its movement was stopped when it met resistance of the chair that had been propped up against it.  
  
"Kai! What is the meaning of this?!"  
  
"I'm coming, grandfather!"  
  
His suitcase was still full and the rope ladder he had wished to use as an escape route still hung over his windowsill. Rising to his feet, he ran over and pulled it up.  
  
"Open the door, Kai!" The deep voice was threatening and he bit back a fearful sob.  
  
"Coming!" he called back though he fell to his knees to untie the knot that grounded the rope to the heavy desk. To his horror it had tightened from his test tugs and refused to budge.  
  
A heavy fist slammed on the door and he almost jumped out of his skin.  
  
"Open the damn door, boy!!"  
  
"Just a moment, grandfather!"  
  
That was obviously too long for the man and there was a silence before the door was smashed open, the chair breaking beneath the force. Light from the hall was blocked by the tall, broad figure that stood in the doorway, white hair gleaming.  
  
Kai bit a hole in his tongue as he rose to his feet, keeping his eyes down. He felt the intense glare on him before it shifted to inspect the room. An extremely long minute passed before the cold voice spoke up.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I...I-I...wa-was...c-c-clean...cleaning...m-my...clos-closet." His voice trembled almost as much as he did as he slowly inched away, knowing that the man would not believe that excuse. He knew him well.  
  
"Don't you dare lie to me!"  
  
Long strides brought him to tower over the small child who fell to his knees in fear. Reaching down he roughly grabbed the boy by the neck and lifted him till they were at eye-level.  
  
"What were you doing?!"  
  
He couldn't answer. His tongue had twisted in fear and he could do nothing but sob incoherent pleas. The thick fingers were wrapped tightly around his throat and he tried to pry them off in hopes to breathe. Gasping, he whimpered.  
  
"Grandpa...please..."  
  
"You little runt, you were trying to run away, weren't you?! WEREN'T YOU?!?!" He shook the child savagely, not caring if the slender neck snapped in his vice grip.  
  
Wriggling to escape, or at least breathe, Kai clawed at the elder's wrinkled but strong hands, trying to dislodge them. In his pitiful attempt to get away from the man he unknowingly kicked him in the stomach with his thrashing feet. Being a small child, and the man having the strength and resilience of an ox, made the kick a very weak one but it was enough to enrage the elder.  
  
"How dare you?!?! I take you in and feed you and you fight me?! You need to be taught a lesson in respect!"  
  
All struggles stopped abruptly at that.  
  
"No! Please no! I'm sorry, grandpa! I'm sorry!!"  
  
Muscled arms wrapped around him nonetheless and he craned his neck to see the bed drawing ever nearer.  
  
"NO!! I won't try to run away again! I promise! Please, not that! Not that!!"  
  
The servants of the Hiwatari manor startled when high pitched shrieks rang through the house once more, getting into every nook and cranny, leaving no one unaware of what was happening. However, they were powerless to do anything and with heavy hearts they went on with their tasks, trying their best not to cry themselves. The cries never stopped as long as the master of the house was in his grandson's bedroom.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Enjoying your memories?"  
  
The same voice from his nightmares, only now calm and oily, jolted him and he straightened and turned to face the broad figure that had entered the room without him hearing him. The door was already closed and no doubt locked. He said nothing but watched the man with wary apprehension as he approached.  
  
"Why won't you leave me alone?" His voice came out weak but for once he didn't care.  
  
"Leave you alone? You've been alone your entire life. Surely you need some comforting?"  
  
Voltaire grinned at the situation. Alone with his beautiful grandson in an empty mansion where no one could hear or find them. It amazed him that he had gone so long without the boy.  
  
"I don't want yours. You have no right to keep me here."  
  
For some reason he felt extremely self-conscious as the old man ran his eyes freely up and down his body. Folding his arms over his chest he tried to hold the man's stare but in the end he would have give in. He always did...  
  
"Who then is there to offer it to you? Hm?" He took a step closer, smiling when Kai pressed himself back against the wall. "Boris was rather needy to get Tala back. I truly doubt the boy survived their...passion."  
  
"I'm surprise you even know the meaning of the word," Kai muttered angrily, his concern making him forget his own peril. Voltaire was sure to remind him quickly.  
  
Grabbing a fistful of the soft blue hair he yanked the head back as he leaned in.  
  
"Who says I do?" he mocked as he started to drag the unwilling teen towards the bed.  
  
"Let me go!"  
  
Kai resisted, trying to wring his wrists free from the iron grip. He managed to free one wrist but Voltaire simply locked his arm around his waist, cruelly tightening it around the bruises. Tears sprang to his eyes as he gasped in pain.  
  
With a careless shove, he pushed the struggling teen onto the bed, quickly following him down, straddling the hips that tried to buck him off. Grabbing the slender shoulders, he watched uncaringly as many flashes of fear and plea shone in the crimson eyes.  
  
Such beautiful eyes...  
  
For the longest of minutes they remained so; Kai too afraid to move and Voltaire enjoyably watching his grandson as he ran his hands over the smooth torso, kneading the skin in a somewhat calming manner though it didn't help.  
  
"When did you stop loving me?" he asked the teen beneath him suddenly.  
  
The question seemed to stop time in its tracks. Even his breathing slowed down. Or maybe he had stopped breathing all together? Looking through his long bangs that hung before his eyes he stared disbelievingly up at the only relative he unfortunately knew.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look at us, Kai, grandfather and grandson, separated for many years. I recall a time when you would welcome my offered comfort. A time when you would allow me to hold you close and kiss away your fears. What happened to that time?"  
  
"I was afraid and hurting and you took advantage of that. I was too young to know that what you did to me was wrong." He became increasingly aware of something hard prodding his waist. A hand was leisurely exploring his quivering body.  
  
"But you used to love this--"  
  
"Never! I used to tolerate this. I never loved this. I..." he faltered when the hand went dangerously below his navel but it stopped, waiting for him to continue, "I...I used to love you as a grandfather. And I thought you loved me too as a grandson."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Not like how a grandfather was supposed to! You lied to me. Every single word you ever said was nothing but a lie! You killed my parents! You killed them without remorse and then pretended to care about me when I was mourning!"  
  
The hand went even further down and he jerked when it rested between his legs.  
  
"Your parents would have destroyed you. You were a genetically perfect child. Had I left you in their incompetent hands your talent would have withered away along with your existence. Sacrifices must be made to allow the stronger to survive. And you were strong, Kai. I had never seen a child with such skills."  
  
"What skills? In beyblading or in bed?" he hissed.  
  
"It would have never come to that had you not resisted me."  
  
"I was only five, you bastard! Five years old and still you tried to lure me into your bed! And when I refused you finally forced yourself on me! You ripped away my innocence while I cried and begged for you to stop--"  
  
"Had you been more willingly I would not have been forced to use strength!" The boy's tone was not one he liked. "Besides, I was lonely and wanted only your returned love--"  
  
"You had no right at all! It was your fault that grandmother left you! Yours! Not mine, yours! She hated you! You drove her away with your sick deeds! That's why she left you! It was your own fucking fault!"  
  
A silence followed. Breathing hard from his shouting, Kai slumped back against the cushions, tired and feeling dizzy. He knew exactly the punishment those words would garner yet it was still very painful when an open palm caught him solidly on the cheeks.  
  
"How dare you!" Voltaire hissed through clenched teeth. Despite his words he knew Kai was right. It had been his violent tendencies that had driven his beloved wife away from him. But to blame himself would make him weak so he had placed the blame on Kai. "You little bastard! Don't you ever speak those words to me again! Do you hear me?!"  
  
His anger overtook him and he started to slap the boy savagely, whipping the head left and right. The ring on his finger caught flesh and tore it. A thin river of crimson ran down the cheek. With a mad growl he licked at it. The boy protested as best he could but it was not enough. It never was enough.  
  
Kai gagged when the elder man's thin lips forced his apart, a hot tongue worming into his mouth, licking his teeth and tongue with ravenous need as the hands started to tug at the zipper of his pants. Fighting to keep his food down, he pushed at the broad chest but it was like pushing against a wall.  
  
He hated it. He hated that someone, especially his own grandfather, touched him. Hated how he had been touched like this since before he even learned how to read. Hated how he had learned to slowly surrendered and stopped fighting the inevitable.  
  
Voltaire chuckled when the teen fell still, breathing heavily and avoiding his eyes.  
  
"I knew you would see that futile struggles would get you no where. Accept my touched, Kai. Accept your fate."  
  
The hand dug beneath the waist of the pants and found him and he moaned as the warm fingers wrapped around him. Bucking his hips he tried to pull away but the hand merely tightened in warning. Forcing himself to remain still he refused to look the bastard in the eyes as the hand started to move.  
  
"Don't..."  
  
This wasn't the first time that Voltaire would do this; force pleasure from his unwilling body. His mind would be screaming in denial but his body would ignore it, satisfying the older man when he would spill his essence with a choked cry over the thick fingers and his stomach.  
  
"Stop it..."  
  
"Do you really want me to stop?" Voltaire grinned as he rubbed the growing arousal, smug pleasure on his face with each soft cry of guilty need fell from the full lips.  
  
"Y-yes...let go..." He pulled at the hand though his legs parted on their own accord.  
  
"Your body seems to want otherwise." Gripping a hip with his free hand, he stroked faster and harder till Kai was on the brink of release.  
  
And then he pulled away, pinning the boy's hands above his head.  
  
The loss of contact tore a whimper from him as his traitorous hips rocked, needing more. Opening half-lidded eyes, he stared up blearily into the steel grey pair above him. A pug smirk was on his grandfather's face. Knowing what the man wanted he shook his head stubbornly and turned away.  
  
"Don't deny your need, boy. All you have to do is ask." Voltaire was rock hard simply watching the slender body fidget and twist beneath him, a faint flush of red tainting the boy's cheeks.  
  
"I...won't....beg!"  
  
He was hurting. His groin was on fire and tears were stinging his eyes. Clenching them shut, he pressed his lips together, trying to will his body to calm down but he was too far...  
  
He couldn't last much longer; he *needed* release...  
  
With a smirk Voltaire flicked a finger lightly over the boy's need, chuckling when Kai bucked against it.  
  
"Just say the words, Kai."  
  
When the teen shook his head again he gave the hardened arousal a single stroke. A lustful mewl escaped and he knew the boy was caving in. Leaning forward he licked at the lips until they parted, small pants of desire tumbling from them.  
  
"Do you want this, Kai?"  
  
His whole body was trembling. His hips sought some friction but the man kept the distance between them though he could feel the other's body warmth. Again the voice asked him.  
  
"Do you want this, Kai?"  
  
Closing his eyes in defeat, he turned away.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
The word was a mere whisper.  
  
"What did you say?" Voltaire smiled triumphantly though he had heard it perfectly.  
  
"Yes, grandfather. I..." He sobbed miserably. "I...I need you."  
  
With a feral grin, the man grabbed a fistful of hair, pressing a bruising kiss onto the already swollen lips. His hand dove beneath the baggy material of the boy's pants and he stroked with lusty need. He almost came from the small cries of pleasure Kai made as he thrust into his hand.  
  
"I hate you...I fucking hate you," Kai groaned though he pulled himself closer, burying his face in the thick white hair as his fingers curled around the fabric of the man's shirt. Tears of disgust and self-hate ran down but he didn't fight when his pants were completely removed and thrown carelessly on the floor.  
  
Forcing himself to relinquish the sweet tongue, Voltaire pulled away and shrugged off his own clothes, leaving him in only his pants. Pulling Kai to lie against the pillows he resumed the stroking and caressing with his hands as he kissed paths all over the teen's face, settling for the spot against the neck where he could feel the younger male's pulse racing. He started to work the spot, marking the boy as his own.  
  
His senses were overthrown by pleasure and hatred. Looking up with lust- darkened eyes at the ceiling above them he clutched the man closer to him as he felt the rush of his release wash over him. With a strangled cry he came in the hot hand.  
  
Weak and exhausted, he collapsed back onto the tousled sheets. Blinking wearily, he didn't even flinch when Voltaire settled between his spread legs or when the man's voice whispered in vile content into his ear.  
  
"My turn."  
  
tbc........  
  
**********  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	11. chapter eleven

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of her characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me so do not touch. I am not making any money off of this and write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
************  
  
Ray sighed as he lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling of the room. It was almost three in the morning and his eyes and body burned, begging for sleep, but he couldn't. How could he be at peace when his friend was out there somewhere in the hands of earth's most sadistic person?  
  
'All this time, Kai. All this time...'  
  
They had waited in the hospital till the following morning when the adults finally returned. The dark circles around all four grown-ups' eyes meant that they had no doubt stayed up all night. Judy's eyes were also puffy and she kept on dabbing at them with a crumpled tissue, pulling Max into an embrace and not letting go. Worried about his mother and needing comfort himself, Max had returned it and they had remained like that the entire time.  
  
While waiting the bladers had formed their own theories about what had happened. They hadn't seen Tala yet but the doctors had been more worried about him than the others and, judging by the state of the rest of the team, that meant that Tala was really messed up. Of course they had all blamed Boris and the Abbey and had agreed that the boys there were tortured.  
  
But nothing could have prepared them for the truth when Mr. Dickenson told it.  
  
Every mouth had fallen open and for many minutes no one could speak. Mariah had broken the silence and burst into tears and Emily was soon to follow. The guys had soothed them as much as possible but they themselves were having problems keeping their emotions in check. Next to shock, they were also greatly angered, disgusted and grieved. Max's blue eyes shimmered brightly and he had burrowed his face into his mother's clothes, finally succumbing to the sobs.  
  
As for himself...Ray had felt as if the world had disappeared around him. All sounds were muffled and all he could see was white.  
  
Assaulted? Kai had been raped? *Was being* raped?  
  
The words kept on running through his head but he had still to fully register the extent of what they really meant. A horrible vision of Kai struggling beneath a larger man as he was forced upon refused the leave his mind and he tried time and time again to shut it out.  
  
'Is that why you didn't want us to get near you? Is that why you feared contact?' All this time they had simply thought him anti-social. And now they knew the gut-wrenching truth; he had been afraid. Afraid that they might hurt him like others had done in his past.  
  
Turning over onto his side, he stared at the empty space next to him on the large bed. He could feel it, the absence on the phoenix, even more so than he could see it. Everything was simply so different without their captain around.  
  
It had been four days since the night of the trophy ceremony and the team was definitely affected; Tyson's appetite was gone and he merely nibbled at his food, leaving more than half over. Max was so solemn that Ray was afraid that he had gone into deep depression. Kenny...well, he didn't know about Kenny. The youngest boy had remained in the hospital with the adults, refusing to leave. Even Dizzy hadn't made one crack remark for the long days.  
  
'I should be doing something. I am now the oldest. I need to be helping the team, encouraging them.'  
  
He told himself this but he couldn't find it within him to obey. He was afraid that the moment he opened his mouth he would cry.  
  
'Kai, you always made it look so easy. You never needed to use words. You just being with us pushed us to do our best. We had an aim, and that aim was to be you. You are strong. You are what a true blader at heart is supposed to be. You were always there for us during the matches. We drew our energy from you. And now...'  
  
Despite his efforts he released a small sob as the unwanted images returned. Burying his face in his pillow, he cried softly.  
  
************  
  
"You better start talking, Boris, or I will make you scream out the answers," Bruce all but growled as he fought to restrain himself from reaching over the table and smashing the hand-cuffed man's head in.  
  
The insufferable bastard merely grinned, his left eye swollen shut and his nose bleeding.  
  
"Calm down, Bruce. He will be of no use to us if he is dead," Mr. Dickenson reasoned with the younger man who was trembling with unspent aggression.  
  
"You don't really think you can catch Lord Voltaire?" Boris asked in a slurred but amused voice. "He's no fool and can't be found unless he wants to be."  
  
"*Or* unless you tell us where he is hiding."  
  
"Why ever would you want to know? Has he really been *that* big a menace to the law that you would resort to interrogating someone like me?"  
  
"Piss on Voltaire! We want to know where he is keeping Kai." Bruce made to stand but his father placed a hand on his broad shoulder, silently telling him to keep his cool.  
  
"Oh? Shouldn't a grandfather have the right to have some time with his only grandson?"  
  
"Boris, I don't think you realise the extent of what your own crimes have brought upon you. The entire Abbey has been searched and we now know everything." Mr Dickenson's voice lowered almost menacingly. "Every lab, every project, every experiment; we know of how you and your men assaulted and even killed young boys in that stone dungeon. I don't need to tell you that the death penalty is hanging over your head right now."  
  
"Wonderful," Boris smiled and looked away, studying the walls as he begun to hum to himself.  
  
"However, you can probably escape death with prison time."  
  
At this the man turned slightly to look at him from the corner of his eye.  
  
"If you can tell us where Kai is, then the judge has agreed that your penalty will be reconsidered."  
  
The man remained silent.  
  
"Agree, you idiot!" Bruce shrugged off his father's hand and stood, fists planted on the table as he glowered down at the pale man. "Why is it so hard to tell us, huh?! Why are you shielding Voltaire?! What good does that do for you?!"  
  
"More than you will ever know."  
  
All three fell silent at the sinister tone in the former director's voice. He chuckled madly and raised his head, his one open eyes taking on a creepy, insane look.  
  
"You soft-hearted simpletons will never understand what it is like. You can't begin to imagine the thrill of dominance one feels when he overpowers another. None of you would be able to resist the sweet taste of a young boy's lips once you have sampled it. No, gentlemen, once you have been ensnared by the innocence of a child, there is no way out. It becomes a way of life. It becomes your *only* way of life. You dream of it at night and wake up with a craving for the warm tightness of a slender body. You pass the entire day in torture as you watch the small lads as they train, unable to resist pulling one of them aside to satisfy your hunger. You stare into their wide eyes as they scream and twist against you as you slowly enter them, inch by inch. It is music to your ears when their pained cries slowly lower to pitiful whimpers. You go to bed dreaming of those wide eyes, pleased to know that tomorrow you will do it all over again, maybe even twice."  
  
Mr. Dickenson could not believe what he was hearing. Boris spoke with such pleasure as if he was describing a work of art in a museum.  
  
Beside him Bruce was bristling with want to pummel the man into the ground, Mr. Granger holding him back with surprising strength for a senior. However, even Mr. Dickenson had to help him restrain his son when Boris continued.  
  
"I remembered the first time I took Kai. He was so small; I believe he was a few months shy of being seven. Of course, it had been Voltaire who had had the honour of de-flowering him, but he was good all the same."  
  
"Shut up!" Bruce's eyes were burning with hate.  
  
"And then came the day not too long ago when he had returned to us during the world championships. He has grown into such a luscious young man, don't you agree? He was afraid of me, of course. But he had returned to try and save Tala. Still, he knew it was useless to resist me when I cornered him in the locker room."  
  
Meeting each of their eyes boldly, he chuckled menacingly.  
  
"All of you surely believe young Kai to be strong and fearless, don't you? He seems so wise beyond his years and capable of defending himself. All the more reason why it is so arousing to watch as his mask of indifference crumbles when he is forced to spread his legs and keep silent. The sight of those fiery red eyes watering in pain as I took him was worth a million pictures. Each move forced a small groan or whimper of pain from his sweet kiss swollen lips. Ivory fists clenched together as I held his wrists together in one hand. He was as hot as I--"  
  
For a second time a beefy fist slammed into his face, followed by another.  
  
Mr. Dickenson picked himself up from the ground where Bruce had unintentionally shoved him down. The young archaeologist was seething with rage as he had pulled free from their restraining hands and tackled the bound man to the ground.  
  
"Bruce!"  
  
"Tell me where he is, bastard!!" Bruce shouted in the man's face, gripping the collar of his shirt tightly and shaking him when he didn't respond. "Tell me or I swear to god I am gonna rip it out of you!"  
  
"That's enough!" Mr. Granger grabbed his son by the broad shoulders and pulled him off Boris who was coughing up blood but still grinning.  
  
The door of the room they had been interrogating him in swung open and a couple of guards ran in.  
  
"Take him away," Mr. Dickenson said, waving them off.  
  
Boris didn't put up a struggle, obviously pleased enough to have triggered such a reaction. However, before he was out the door he craned his neck back over the guard's shoulder and said, "By the way, how is Tala doing?"  
  
The door closed in time to spar Boris from Bruce's threats.  
  
For many minutes the three men were silent, Bruce leaning against the table with eyes closed and arms crossed, unknowingly adopting Kai's usual stance. Mr. Dickenson shook that thought out of his head.  
  
"Care to explain what just happened there, Bruce?"  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I just..." He sighed and ran a hand through his unruly black hair. "Every time I look at that bastard, I see him back in that storage room with Tala. I can still hear him taunting Tala while suffocating him as he..."  
  
"We all feel that way, Bruce. But you have to keep your emotions in check."  
  
"He's right, son."  
  
"I know." He looked up at the two seniors. "So what do we do now? How are we going to find Kai?"  
  
"We have to stick to Boris. He is the only lead we have. The police are searching Moscow and the BBA service is scanning all of Russia for any bit of information."  
  
Dejectedly, they exited the room, walking in silence down the hall.  
  
"How are the Demolition dudes coming along?" Mr Granger asked.  
  
"Moderately, I suppose. Bryan and Ian have recovered the most and we have assembled a very capable team of eye surgeons for Spencer's operation." He sighed as the good news ran out. "Tala has yet to awaken. He passed the doctor's expectations but his life hangs by a thread that I fear may snap any second. He responds to nothing and his wounds are healing too slowly. If his condition doesn't improve soon, we will lose him."  
  
************  
  
An irregular beep from the heart monitor startled the nurse out of her light sleep in the chair next to the bed. Fearing the worse, she followed the chart as it blinked on the monitor next to her but to her relief she saw that the beats were now stronger.  
  
Yet another miracle occurred when the hand she had been holding flexed in her grip. It was barely noticeable, but she surely felt it. Leaning forward, she waited hopefully.  
  
Her wait was not in vain when, against all odds, the long lashes opened, painfully slowly.  
  
Eyes once a bright blue but now a dull grey looked around disoriented, taking a very long to time realise that there was someone else in the room.  
  
"Tala?" She gave him a reassuring smile when he met her eyes. "Tala, you're okay now."  
  
He didn't seem to hear her. Instead, his eyes returned to dully looking around, searching for something. When he couldn't find whatever it was, a look of pain streaked across the dim irises and with a final blink, he turned his head to one side and slipped away again.  
  
"No, Tala! Don't go back to sleep! Come on, stay with me."  
  
But it was too late. The heart monitor's beep grew softer as he returned to the deep sleep once more, fine features serene and yet troubled about something.  
  
Sighing tiredly, she gave the now limp hand a pat before standing and heading out the door to alert the doctors of the boy's brief awareness. It wasn't much, but it was a start.  
  
************  
  
Trembling fingers tucked several loose strands of silver locks behind an ear before moving down to wipe a running tear from his face. He made no sound when crying. He never did. But the sound of his hope shattering was deafening to his ears.  
  
"Bastard...fucking bastard...," was all he could whisper, wishing the sound of his voice would cover up his fading faith. It didn't and all he felt was even more hated self-pity.  
  
Lying on his bare stomach, he stared unseeingly at his hand that rested near his head. The fingers quivered on the sheets, knuckles white as they curled around the soft fabric. Looking beyond his hand, he stared at the emptiness around him.  
  
It felt so strange to wake up and not see Ray sleeping beside him, loose hair flowing on the pillow and even breaths stirring the dark bangs. Mr. Dickenson had been right; no matter how much he denied it, he needed people he trusted to be around him.  
  
Now he was alone and hurting. And afraid.  
  
"Was this done to you, Tala? Is this how Boris treated you?"  
  
He longed for his friend. He didn't care if Tala had indeed betrayed him. Nothing the red-head could ever do would change how he felt for him. They had been there for each other since they were little kids. They had always held each other when one of them was upset.  
  
Now he desperately wished to feel his friend's arms around him, whispering reassurances in his ears as he rocked him back and forth.  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
Kai slowly sunk to the floor, back against the cold metal of the locker door, body trembling in pain and silent tears. Above him, Boris adjusted his clothes, smirking in superior contempt.  
  
"Never question my decisions again, Kai. You *will* fight the Bladebreakers and the other teams and you *will* take their bit beasts. One more sign of refusal from you and I can guarantee a visit to your grandfather for a few days."  
  
Not even giving the boy another look, he turned and strode out of the locker room.  
  
He didn't know if it had been minutes or hours, but he just sat there, muted tears sliding down his face as he tried to gather himself, failing miserably.  
  
So many times...  
  
So many times had he felt like this; ashamed, violated, weak, filthy, unsure, afraid, sickened.  
  
So many times had he sworn to himself to be stronger than this, to keep an indifferent face even if he was screaming and sobbing on the inside.  
  
Now instead, his expression was like the rest of him. Torn and tattered.  
  
Beyond the rows of lockers, a door opened and he couldn't stop the fine trembles from racing over his body. Nor could he calm his breathing as it sped up in fearful anticipation. But all that was drowned out as a soft voice called out, hesitant in fear and doubt.  
  
"Kai?"  
  
He released a shuddering sob of relief but didn't answer. Still, the soft sound didn't go unheard and without a moment's hesitation the person's footsteps neared, finally stopping at the end of the row of lockers where he sat. A shadow fell upon him and he raised shamed eyes to stare into endless sky-blue ones.  
  
"Kai..."  
  
"He wouldn't stop, Tala. He wouldn't let me go." His voice was different, more childlike as he stared up at his friend with wet eyes through the slate coloured bangs. "So many years have passed by but...he...It hurts..."  
  
Wordlessly, Tala knelt down swiftly and pulled the trembling teen into a deep embrace, resting his cheek on the other boy's head as Kai clung to him.  
  
This was wrong. This wasn't the confident soul he had met over ten years ago. This wasn't the boy who had befriended him when all others had pushed him away. Kai was strong and not afraid of anything.  
  
So why couldn't he explain why the slender body he held onto felt so lithe and fragile. Why had the fires that had always burned brightly in the crimson orbs dimmed out?  
  
"You have to get out of here. Go back to the Bladebreakers."  
  
"No! I won't leave you. Not again. We made a promise to always stick together and I have already broken it once--"  
  
"And it is breaking you now!" He took hold of the shivering shoulders, stilling them somewhat. "You have a chance to escape. Once the championships are over you must go back to Japan with your team. You'll be safe there."  
  
"I won't hurt you by leaving you behind--"  
  
"You are hurting me, Kai!" he shouted. "Every second you stay here is killing me. I'm afraid that he will do something to you and that you'll die! I'm afraid that one day they will come with some lame excuse that you disappeared during the night! I'm afraid! I can at least be assured that you are safe back in Japan."  
  
"And what about me then, huh?!" His tears returned, now brimming with fearful concern for the red-head. "How do you think I will feel to be safe and sound knowing that I have abandoned my best friend for a second time?! I was so afraid to come back here because I feared to come and find you already dead, killed by Boris while he was forcing himself on you."  
  
"But--"  
  
"No! I'm not leaving you behind alone. I am staying." He tightened his hold on the thick over vest, proving his seriousness. "Please, Tala, understand this."  
  
He sighed, defeated but unconvinced. "I do understand, but I will never accept it."  
  
Removing one hand from around Kai, Tala started to straightened his friend's clothes as best he could, feeling his anger burn hotter when he saw the scratch marks on the flat stomach. Then, slowly, he helped the other up, never releasing him, instead pulling him closer.  
  
"We will get through this, Kai. As long as we stay together, we will get through this. One day, we will get away. Together. All of us. I promise."  
  
Feeling secure in his friend's embrace and words, Kai rested his aching head on the other's shoulder, allowing his eyes to flutter shut. Gentle hands rubbed his bruised back and he was slowly lulled into a state of calm and security.  
  
"Promise..."  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Tala...please...Don't leave me here...please, my friend..."  
  
Nothing happened. No footsteps came running down the hall. The door wasn't thrown open. No one stepped into the room with their bright blue eyes fixed on him. No one came to lie beside him and hold him.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
That is, except for a heat coming from his pants pocket. He ignored it at first and simply laid there, face indifferent despite the tears. But then, something registered and holding his breath in a final glimmer of hope, he reached into the pocket...and found nothing.  
  
It hadn't been until after his grandfather had left him the first night that he realised that he was missing something, or rather someone; Dranzer.  
  
Despite the burning pains and bruises, he had forced himself off the bed and had torn the room apart, breaking down when he found no sign of his blue beyblade. He had demanded the fire bird's whereabouts when Voltaire returned the following night. Only after forcing pleasure from his body and giving himself release again did the bastard gloat of destroying the blade. The third night had passed without so much as a flinch from Kai's part; the news of his beloved bit beast gone had numbed him.  
  
'Everything I loved is gone.'  
  
He had just closed his eyes when he felt the heat once more, coming from the same pocket. Wind whistled pass his ear but something about it was very familiar...and welcoming...and desperate to be heard. Calling him. Begging him to hear it.  
  
Again, he searched the pocket and was about to give up when a tip of his finger brushed against something buried in the deepest corner which he had missed due to its small size. Despite the heat in the cloth, the objects smooth surface was cool and he slowly pinched it between his thumb and index finger before withdrawing it. Bringing his hand to his face, he slowly uncurled his fingers. Amidst his tears of pain and grief, a single tear of relieved happiness rolled down his face.  
  
The red phoenix bit glowed steadily in his palm, trembling and flashing in an aggressive attempt to get out of its confinement to be with him. The whistling was more audible now and he recognized it as the distant crying of Dranzer.  
  
"But...how...?"  
  
Through the hazy memory of the events that night of the ceremony he began to remember removing Dranzer's bit just before passing out. He had known that his grandfather would do something to the blade and had hoped the man wouldn't have noticed the bit missing. He hadn't, and had blindly smashed the empty blade.  
  
"Dranzer...help me."  
  
That was more than enough to free the phoenix and she stood before him.  
  
A soft chitter of dismay was all she could make as she took in his half- naked and beaten form. Her own fiery eyes met his watery ones and she hopped over to his side. His body was cold from exposure to chilling temperature of the room and his skin was pale beneath the dark bruises.  
  
With a soothing coo, she laid down next to him, ruffling her glowing feathers to produce more heat. Elaborate tail feathers came to rest over him, as did one expansive wing, effectively warming him. She wiped away the stray tears with her beak before nibbling on his hair affectionately.  
  
"I though I had lost you forever," he smiled softly for the first time in four long days. His muscles were already relaxing from her heat, reducing the pain till it was no longer so horrible. And seeing her before him was enough to stop the agonizing pain in his chest; he wasn't alone anymore. Raising a weak hand, he ran his fingers through the fiery comb on her head, the flames cool against his skin.  
  
"Thank you, my friend."  
  
She chirped and nuzzled his face with her beak, resting her brow against his. Slowly, his breathing evened out and she felt his body completely relax against her. Raising her head, she watched him sleep, face serene for the first time in many days.  
  
She had heard every cry, every word, every tear of pain he had shed when the man he called grandfather had assaulted him. The sound had been distant due to the beyblade's metal but it had been more than enough to drive her mad in desperation. Inside her bit, she had raged and spouted fire balls, trying to break free. Her fire had been so hot that pieces of the bit had started to melt. However, it had not been enough and giving up only after almost collapsing of exhaustion, she could only try to make him hear her voice and have him call her out himself.  
  
Voltaire was going to come back. And this time, she will not let him come anywhere near her master. Kai was her blader. She had served him since he was a little boy and never had he treated her badly though mistreatment was all he had ever known at the hands of his grandfather. But that mistreatment was going to end now.  
  
With that firm resolve, she laid her head back down across his, letting his steady breathing be her companion as she watched over him.  
  
tbc...............  
  
************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	12. chapter twelve

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
************  
  
Dark.  
  
That's all he could see. And feel. Not the darkness of black and shadows, but of nothingness. There was nothing around him. All he felt was the cold of lost. He couldn't find his way out. It was so cold. And lonely. He felt that too.  
  
Awareness came to him and he could hear things. They sounded familiar. Beeps and drips and hums and buzzes. And, in the back of his mind, he could hear voices in the distance. The more he woke up, the more of his senses returned. With much effort, he opened his eyes.  
  
The ceiling above him was white, lined with fluorescence lights that burned brightly as they burned his eyes. Blinking very slowly, he turned his head to one side, feeling the wave of dizziness hit him though he was lying down. Pale green walls surrounded him from all sides of the room. Machines of all sorts and sizes lined them, wires and plugs leading from them towards him. He could feel at least three needles in his arm.  
  
Each laboured breath he took hurt his chest and his skin tingled with pain and numbness. It took all his concentration to keep his eyes open and that made his head hurt even more. Something was over his nose and mouth; an oxygen mask of some sort.  
  
Alone.  
  
He was alone.  
  
Soft breathing turned his head to the right where he could make out the blurry outline of a person dressed in white who sat in a chair next to his bed. He remembered her; the lady who had spoken to him when he had awoken the first time, though he couldn't tell how long ago that had been. She had tried to keep him in awareness but he couldn't. He didn't want to.  
  
He was alone. The lady in white was right next to him but he couldn't feel her. He couldn't feel anyone. He didn't want to anybody.  
  
Except one.  
  
Looking around, he strained to see him, but he wasn't there. The fiery warmth that always surrounded him wasn't in the room. Nothing but cold, and darkness.  
  
Then, he felt.  
  
A cold that slowly ran down a cheek, leaving a trail of wetness. A single bead of moisture trickled down his face to be absorbed into the soft whiteness of the pillow beneath his head.  
  
A tear.  
  
A single tear.  
  
Alone.  
  
Like him.  
  
A loud beep from a machine nearby woke the woman as it had before but before she could even speak, he turned his head away as another lone tear escaped. Darkness was returning as the emptiness of his heart beckoned it. Without the fire to burn it away, he was trapped.  
  
'.....Kai.....'  
  
Darkness and loneliness overcame him and he slipped off just as the doctors ran in.  
  
***********  
  
Dranzer lifted her head when she felt the teen beneath her move. She nudged his head gently with her beak and watched as half-lidded eyes opened, irises the colour of her feathers taking on the state of awareness. When he didn't move again, she nibbled on his bangs, tugging softly; worried that he had taken a turn for the worse during the night.  
  
"I'm alright, Dranzer."  
  
His normally confident and strong voice was now but a whisper but she gladly accepted it. Cooing, she nuzzled his head with hers and a hand came up to stroke her flaming head.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
His muscles no longer hurt as much as before, but he still needed to hold onto her neck for support as he sat up, immediately feeling the chill of early morning as the action made her remove her heated tail feathers and large wing. Seeing this, she hopped onto his lap, settling down though her eyes never left his.  
  
"You know that you can't stay out of your blade for too long. You'll run out of energy," Kai pointed out softly, scratching beneath her beak as she lifted her head. A look of defiance was her response and he could feel her sharp talons tightening slightly where they rested on his pants.  
  
"It's day. He doesn't come during the day. I'll be alright."  
  
Not buying it, she laid her head down, getting herself more comfortable as she was prepared to stay with him for as long as she could.  
  
Flames burned bright, though didn't hurt him, as the door handle wriggled a bit as someone started to open it. Jumping off him, she placed herself between him and the 'visitor', spreading her wings to shield him as much as possible.  
  
"Kai?"  
  
That voice. He recognized it. And it didn't belong to his grandfather.  
  
Placing a hand on Dranzer and pulling her back a bit, much to her resistant, he looked beyond the flames to see a middle aged woman whose jet- black hair was held out of her face in a high ponytail. The once solid colour was now streaked with the greys of age. And her once smooth face had aged also, though not too much. Still, fine wrinkles around her eyes and mouth told of hardship and grief.  
  
"Margaret?" he asked disbelievingly, wondering if this was indeed the lady who used to look after him when he had been a child. Her name worked to pacify Dranzer who settled down next to him as she regarded the human female.  
  
Slipping in to keep the door as closed as possible, she nodded, her eyes hesitant as she approached him, carrying a tray of food. Seeing the meal, he realized that he had not eaten for three whole days, though he still didn't feel like it.  
  
"You've grown," she commented. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other."  
  
"What are you doing here? The mansion is empty."  
  
"It is. But...Lord Voltaire called me yesterday and told me to come back." She sat down, placing the tray on the side table. "I hadn't heard from him in years and I found it strange but he didn't allow any questions. I had a new job in southern Russia and I didn't want to leave it. Then he told me that you were here with him..." Dark grey eyes studied the still fading bruises on his shoulders and torso.  
  
"You shouldn't have come back," Kai said softly. Inside, he felt even worse. Again a person he cared deeply for was putting their health and life on the line to help him!  
  
"I had to. I would have never forgiven myself if I had turned the 'offer' down. Come here." She motioned him over but he hesitated. "I just want to check your injuries."  
  
"That's not necessary," he argued, unconsciously moving away a bit and folding his legs.  
  
She held up her hands and nodded.  
  
"At least eat something. In order to heal you will need your body to have strength."  
  
She took a plate with bread off of the tray and held it out to him.  
  
Hearing her voice and seeing her brought him back to his childhood, which was probably the only reason why he accepted it, moving closer. The action caused his pants' waist to slip a bit, revealing the dark bruises that marred the normally pale skin. He heard her gasp softly and raised shamed eyes to meet hers.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kai. I...I just thought that...I didn't think he would already have..."  
  
"Before we even got here," he admitted, eyes fixed on the plate with the untouched bread.  
  
She took a deep breath, her aged face holding anger as well as despair. A weathered hand reached out and when he didn't do anything, it brushed at the soft bangs before his eyes. He flinched at the contact and she quickly withdrew.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, uncertain as to why he reacted that way towards her.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
He had flinched from her. Never had he done that. When he had been a child he would sit in her lap and cry as she rocked him, saying soft words of comfort as his blood would be soaked up by the towel she held against the wounds. The coming of age had made him far more aware of how shameful his situation was.  
  
Now he was ashamed since he knew that she recalled his childhood horrors and that she now saw him right back where he started made it even more unbearable.  
  
A soft clink came as Dranzer nudged the plate with her beak, urging him to eat. The sight of food made his stomach churn but both females were doing there best to help him and he didn't want to make it harder for them then it already was. Taking a slice, he slowly ate it, concentrating on keeping each bite he swallowed down.  
  
When it was finally gone, he asked,  
  
"Where is he?" No elaboration was needed.  
  
"Having an important meeting with a client in town. He's going to be gone all day."  
  
Kai looked meaningfully over at Dranzer but she merely puffed up her chest and ruffled her feathers in a 'So what?' kind of way, daring him to even try and get her back into her blade. Whether Voltaire was there or not, she wasn't going to allow him out of her sight.  
  
He could feel sleep returning and wearily handed back the plate, noting with disdain that his hand trembled beneath its 'weigh'.  
  
"You should rest," Margaret advised, seeing his eyes blinking to stay awake. "You're weak from hunger. I will return at noon with some soup for you. You are in serious need of nutrients."  
  
He looked ready to protest but she simply eased him back against the pillows, noting that she would have to go find a blanket. Luckily, Dranzer walked over and laid herself down next to him, placing a wing and her long tail feathers over him. His scarlet eyes quickly succumbed to the pleasant warmth and he drifted off.  
  
Margaret watched him sleep, Dranzer next to him and ready to fight for her master. It pained the woman to see her young charge like this. That bastard of a grandfather had been gifted with a wonderful grandson but all he was interested in was the boy's outer beauty.  
  
Fishing out a small handkerchief from her skirt, she wetted it with some water from a cup and gently wiped away the remaining paint from the serene face. Kai tensed in his sleep but Dranzer was quick to assist, nuzzling his face until he calmed.  
  
Thanking the bit beast with a silent nod, Margaret collected the things on the tray and stood, preparing to leave the boy to his much deserved rest.  
  
"You will find a way out of this, Kai. Someone out there must be searching for you."  
  
She closed the door softly and turned to walk away but gasped loudly and dropped the tray with a clatter as she found herself standing face to face with Lord Hiwatari.  
  
tbc...........  
  
************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	13. chapter thirteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one.  
  
Warnings: see chapter one.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
************  
  
"Lord Voltaire!" she gasped. "You...You're back early."  
  
"The meeting has been postponed," he said briskly, daring her to ask anything else.  
  
"Yes, sir. I just brought Kai some food."  
  
The boy's name seemed to remind the man of something and he merely brushed past her and opened the door. She followed, not really knowing why as she was powerless to stop him should he try anything.  
  
"What the...!"  
  
Dranzer rose, wings spread and flaming and head lowered, molten eyes glowering at the man as she stood before her young master, who had jolted awake when the door had been open with force.  
  
"Where did *that* come from?" he growled, turning to Margaret and painfully grabbing her slender wrist, as if blaming her.  
  
Kai watched as the elder man sized up the woman and his concern overturned his conscience as he ducked beneath Dranzer's wing, standing with fists balled.  
  
"Don't touch her!"  
  
Both adults turned surprised eyes on him, though Voltaire's quickly turned to something between lust and amusement. Releasing the wrist and shoving the woman down, he made his way over to where the bluenette stood, bare chest and vulnerable.  
  
"You look so lovely when you get angry."  
  
Kai only felt the whoosh of warm air but Voltaire had to jump aside, with reflexes that were rather impressive considering his age, as a flame of warning cut through the air. Dranzer, now somewhat bigger to protect him better, cawed protectively as she once again placed herself between him and the man.  
  
"Call that thing back, boy," Voltaire growled, "before I get rid of it myself."  
  
As if daring the man to back up his words, Dranzer spat out another flame. An elongated tail feather wove itself around Kai's waist in protective possessiveness. Also, she continued to force the man away from Margaret, who took the hint and moved to stand behind the fire bird.  
  
Not having expected finding the phoenix here and on the offence, Voltaire sneered but backed off, moving towards the door though his eyes bore into Kai's. He had come with the intention of taking the teen and this unforeseen obstacle really pissed him off.  
  
"Don't start feeling safe, boy. I have ways of getting what I want and I will have you. This is just a temporary delay. Enjoy your time with that bird for she won't be around for much longer." He turned to Margaret. "Prepare my meal. And don't even think of poisoning it because you are going to taste it before my very eyes."  
  
Again he turned to Kai, his desire evident with such lust that the bluenette couldn't keep eye contact and looked.  
  
The door slammed shut behind the senior Hiwatari as he exited, leaving the three behind.  
  
Margaret took a shuddering breath but forced calm for the teen's sake. She could tell that Kai was being brave but his eyes were unsure and every now and then a flash of fear ran in them. Still, they turned on her with concern.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked, gently trying to remove Dranzer's tail but the phoenix wasn't letting go, adding another to hold him more securely. He would have rebuked her if it hadn't been for the light of extreme concern in her stare that burned brighter than her feathers.  
  
"Just a small bruise perhaps later," Margaret said softly. "I...I was so sure that he'd be gone all day. I'm sorry, Kai."  
  
"It's not your fault." He had to sit down as the sudden movements of earlier caught up with him and he felt somewhat light headed. "Be careful around him. There's no telling what he'll do."  
  
"I'm more concerned about you," she admitted, easing him to lie back down. "He keeps to his words, Kai. We both know that. He takes what he wants and..." she faltered, unable to say it.  
  
"He wants me," Kai filled in, stroking Dranzer's head where it laid on his lap as the phoenix cuddled up against him. "He'll hurt you to get to me. And Dranzer can't stay out of her blade for much longer." A squawk of disagreement came but he ignored it. "Look, Margaret, don't get yourself more involved in this than you already are."  
  
"Well, I can't just stand back and let him continue to do this to you!" she gasped, shocked at what he was implying.  
  
"He will do what he wants to me anyways. At least this way only I will get hurt."  
  
"That's one person too many," she continued to argue, Dranzer's chirps backing her up.  
  
"He can kill you, Margaret! Just like he killed Melcov! Just like he killed Salia! They haf served him for decades but that didn't matter to him as he pulled the trigger and shot them both dead when they tried to help me! I don't want that to happen to you!"  
  
"Your team mates and friends must be looking for you. Policemen are no doubt searching every inch of Moscow to find you. If I can just get to them- -"  
  
"They won't find us here. No one ever has. Moscow is ten hours away. All phone lines in this place are monitored. And Voltaire isn't going to allow you to leave. There's no way we can contact anyone. No one even knows this place exists. Only those who used to work or live here and they are all dead or have disappeared."  
  
The bluenette's words were painful in their truthfulness and she sighed, burying her head in her palms. A cool hand touched her shoulder and she raised her head to meet his eyes.  
  
"There's nothing you can do, Margaret, except protect yourself."  
  
Unable to resist, she pulled him into a hug, closing her eyes in relief when he returned it.  
  
"I had promised your mother that I would look out for you. Please understand that I won't break that promise."  
  
Closing his own eye, Kai said nothing.  
  
Dranzer watched the exchange silently, tucking her tail beneath her before Kai could see the tips which were slowly starting to burn out as her energy started to dwindle. Her instincts were warning her to return to her blade soon but she ignored them.  
  
All that ever mattered to her was her bluenette. Her blader. Her friend.  
  
Everything else, including her life, was irrelevant.  
  
************  
  
Ray sat with legs folded beneath him in the large chair, his book on his lap though his eyes didn't pick up one word. In fact, he was still on the page he had been the day of the ceremony and he had forgotten everything that had happened before in the book.  
  
Seven days had gone by; seven long days. Not one lead on the investigation whatsoever. The police were stumped and the BBA's own law-enforcement was at a loss. It was as if Kai had disappeared from the face of the earth. No one had seen or heard from him for a week. And, despite his many companies and hundreds of business partners, personnel and clients, Voltaire was as elusive as ever. The man had many homes and hide-outs all over the world and some they feared were extremely remote and well hidden.  
  
Soft footsteps brought Tyson into the room, the navy-haired boy plopping down on the couch. None of them had gotten much sleep and even Tyson had dark rings beneath his eyes. Kai's disappearance had had a great impact on the Dragoon blader. His food intake was way below average and he had actually lost a couple of pounds in the one week.  
  
"I thought you said you wanted to go practice," Ray said softly, needing some sound before he went completely insane.  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry Ray, didn't see you there," Tyson admitted with a small smile. Sighing, he allowed his head to fall back against the couch. "I tried to practice, but I can't. It's just too... different. I can't focus anymore, on anything."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Ray agreed, looking down at his neglected book before closing it and placing it on the table next to him.  
  
"I never realized....," Tyson said after a few more moments of silence, "I never realized how lucky we were having him around. Nothing feels the same. I don't think it will ever be the same." A few more seconds passed. "I miss him, Ray. I miss him a lot. I miss him yelling at us. I miss him training us like dogs. I just miss having him with us."  
  
"We all do," Ray said. Every morning he would wake up expecting to see the sleeping bluenette nearby and that it had all been just a really bad dream.  
  
Tyson made a small sound of frustration and stood up, pacing as he spoke.  
  
"Man, if I could just take back all the things I said about him in the past. All the names I called him. I never stopped to think about why he was the way he was. So distant and reserved. And then I talked trash about Tala and the others..."  
  
Both boy's attention were directed to the stairs as Max came down, pulling on a jacket. The broad smile had disappeared for several days and the blue eyes had long lost their sparkle. The blond hair looked more tousled than ever and the boy looked simply miserable.  
  
"Kenny called from the hospital," he informed, his voice almost unrecognizable in its melancholy tone. "Mr. Dickenson is sending a cab over to bring us there. He wants to talk to us about something."  
  
"Did he say anything about Tala or the others?" Tyson asked, getting his coat.  
  
The blond simply shook his head and walked off towards the door. Tyson shared a concerned look with Ray before following him.  
  
'This can't go on much longer,' Ray thought to himself, shrugging on his coat and following the two younger bladers, locking the door behind them. 'A couple of more days and the Bladebreakers will be no more.'  
  
************  
  
"We have moved him to a private sector. This wing is empty of any other patients and only our top personnel have access to it. All his belongings have been brought here too," the doctor said as they walked down the long hall. "We think that perhaps the noise of people overwhelms him, making him retreat into an unconscious state to escape it. Of course, there are other reasons."  
  
"I was told that he has awoken two times," Mr. Dickenson said, cane tapping on the tiles as they walked.  
  
"Yes. The nurse who watches over him reported that he came out of this rare coma on two separate occasions."  
  
"Did he say anything?" Judy asked from where she walked next to Mr. Dickenson.  
  
"Nothing. He remained awake for less than a minute both times. However, she did say that he looked around the room, as if he was looking for something."  
  
"Most likely his team mates. Have any of them recovered yet?"  
  
"Spencer is still undergoing daily surgery and, despite the rarity of it, Ian's head wound is giving him problems; a belated reaction to the injury. The cat-scans will hopefully clear things up. Bryan has recovered from his leg operation but is still too weak from lack of food and water."  
  
Automatic doors swung open, permitting them into another long hall. This entire area had been evacuated by the BBA's authority. The halls were silent with the exception of the security guards that patroled them.  
  
"Have you contacted the Bladebreakers?" Judy asked after some minutes.  
  
"Yes. I got Max on the phone. Poor little guy. I just feel so awful. I've never seen them like this before. Nothing has ever brought them down so badly."  
  
"I dig ya. Tyson hasn't ordered room service for the entire week. Little dude is down and out," Mr. Granger said, hands folded thoughtfully as he walked. "Bruce went down to meet them and took Kenny with him. Even that dude's laptop has quit her slanging--"  
  
A sudden and loud *THUD* cut him off and the group stopped in their tracks. Nothing else stirred in the hall but they had all heard it, loud and clear.  
  
"What was that?" Judy asked, eyes searching but finding nothing.  
  
Again, a loud *THUD*, like something smashing against a wall or something. This time it was followed by a scraping sound. Still, the hall they were in remained empty.  
  
That is, until rapid clicks of high-heeled shoes sounded loudly through the hall as a nurse came hurrying towards them, almost tripping over her own feet as she came to a sudden halt before them.  
  
"*pant* Doctor!...He...*pant**pant* he...w-woke up...*gasp*...again!"  
  
"Jemima, calm yourself!" the doctor advised but she shook her head.  
  
"Sir, *pant*...spoke...*pant*...something -orgue!"  
  
Judy stepped forward, placing both hands on the woman's shoulder.  
  
"Take a deep breath. You're not making any sense."  
  
Inhaling deeply, she forced herself to calm down enough to say, "He w-woke up! Tala woke up!"  
  
"Alright then, and what did he say?" Judy asked soothingly though inside she felt just as excited.  
  
"It was but a whisper and I didn't catch it fully, but it sounded like 'Orgue'."  
  
"'Orgue'?" she blinked to the men but they were just as stumped. "Are you sure you heard correctly?"  
  
"It was muttered and that was but the last part, but I'm sure I heard tha-- "  
  
Her calm didn't last long as a terrible *CRASH* sounded. More *THUMPS* and *THUDS* followed. Two security guards who had heard the commotion ran in, guns aimed and ready.  
  
"What's going on here?"  
  
Now that they were looking in that direction, Judy's eyes caught the slight tremble of the metallic door a few doors behind them as another heavy *THUD* was made. Whatever it was, it was coming from that room.  
  
"Over there," she pointed.  
  
The metal door groaned as it was forced to endure the pounding. The bolts that held it in place started to loosen and fell with loud clicks to the floor. A large dent appeared in the smooth surface as something slammed into it again.  
  
"Stand back!" the guard shouted, taking aim, as did his partner.  
  
Whatever was causing the havoc grew more and more desperate and the door started to bend and groan beneath the assault. More bolts loosened.  
  
From where she stood with the others' Judy tried to keep her mind on the situation but for some reason the nurse's words kept coming back to her.  
  
'Orgue? What about it?'  
  
"Delta 34, this is officer Velps! Immediate assistance is needed in sector 7. Repeat, immediate assistance!" the guard spoke loudly into his radio, eyes trained on the door in apprehension.  
  
"What the hell is in there?" his partner asked the doctor who was shaking.  
  
"N-Nothing. This area is used as s-storage rooms, b-but that room is empty. Though, we have placed-- Oh heavens!" he gasped when a thump almost busted the door off its hinges. His eyes only widened when a long tear was ripped into the surface from the inside.  
  
"What else did he say?" Judy suddenly turned to the nurse.  
  
"Huh?" the nurse, gripping Mr. Granger's shirt in complete fear, asked stupidly.  
  
"Tala. What else did he say besides 'orgue'?"  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?!" the doctor asked in utter panic.  
  
"What did he say! What was the first part! You have to remember!" Judy forced.  
  
"I....I-I don't know! Something...something l-l-like...wool?"  
  
Everything fell into place, completing the puzzle that formed a frightening picture.  
  
"Oh no," Judy gasped. She met the men's questioning stares though it took her a while to form the sentence.  
  
"It's Wolborg..."  
  
As if that was the creature had been waiting for, the metal door was blasted out of its frame, almost crushing the two guards as they ducked out of the way. A loud *CLAP* resounded as it collided with the opposite door.  
  
One of the guards had dropped his gun when he had fallen and scrambled to pick it up. Before he could, however, two large, clawed paws came to stand on either side of the weapon, the huge claws digging into the tiled floors, causing long cracks to spread like spider webs.  
  
Raising wide eyes, the guard stared horrified up into twin orbs filled with carnal rage. Dagger-like teeth snapped wetly as a tongue ran over them. With a deep growl, they suddenly swooped down and snapped shut.  
  
Behind Judy the nurse shrieked in horror as the guard's limp body was thrown aside like a rag doll. Flattened ears perked at the sound and the rampaging bit beast turned its pointed head to where the two women stood, unable to escape. The glowing-white eyes narrowed to slits and hunching its massive shoulders for a second, the beast pounced.  
  
"No!!"  
  
She managed to shove the petrified nurse out of the way but Judy was unable to evade the lunging wolf. She gasped as she hit the floor, the wolf's weight pinning her as its claws dug into her skin. She didn't even have time to scream for help before the jaws clamped down once more.  
  
tbc..............  
  
*************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	14. chapter fourteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one.  
  
Warnings: see chapter one.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
************  
  
"No!!"  
  
Looking up at the rapidly descending jaws, she raised her arm to defend her vulnerable neck. The gnashing teeth caught the fabric of her coat and ripped it open, just barely missing her skin.  
  
But not for long.  
  
The glowing irises of the huge canine rolled madly in its head, thick saliva dripping and spraying as the immense head thrashed about wildly. It was as if the bit beast was rabid.  
  
Whatever the cause, the outcome would be that none of them in here would make it out alive unless the beast was somehow stopped.  
  
"Look out, ma'am!" the standing guard shouted, kneeling next to his partner who, by some miracle, was still alive, though badly injured. Taking aim, the man lined the barrel of his gun at Wolborg's back and prepared to fire.  
  
For some reason, she wanted to tell the man not to fire. Of course, she would most likely be killed, but at the same time she doubted it. Being this close to the creature she could see something that the others didn't; fear. The creature looked to be frightened. She could plainly see it burning beneath the initial rage.  
  
Before she could say anything, though, and before the guard could even fire, Wolborg's ears perked, flitting towards the large door at the end of the hall.  
  
No sooner had he done that when they burst open, the lumbering body of a mutant turtle charging at surprising speed towards where the wolf had the woman pinned.  
  
Lowering her* head, the purple glowing bit beast slammed into the wolf's flank, just barely avoiding the jagged crystals that were sharper than ever in the wolf's rage. Not giving the snow bit beast time to recover, Draciel continued pushing until she had the wolf crushed against the wall with her mass bulk, effectively pinning him.  
  
With the weight off her chest, Judy gasped for air, slowly rising to her knees. Mr. Dickenson handed her a handkerchief with which she dabbed at the shallow scrapes she had gotten during the 'scuffle'.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"I'm okay, Max," she assured the blond as he ran up to her, blue eyes finally showing an emotion other than grief for the first time in a week.  
  
"Oh man, what happened here?" Tyson asked, also coming out of his dark mood, if only for the moment, as he took in the site: the twisted door frame; the lone thick metal door lying on the ground, the bloody guard who had managed to sit up, holding his hand to his chest which had deep tear marks in it; Draciel struggling to keep a wild Wolborg in check.  
  
Just then the rest of the guards came in, carrying bigger and more powerful weapons. Two carried the injured guard away while the others formed a protective barrier between the bit beasts and the people, immediately training their weapons on the two struggling bit beasts.  
  
"Don't shoot the purple one!" the first guard ordered. "That one's on our side! Hey kid, call your own back!" he said, referring to Draciel.  
  
Hesitating at first but then nodding, Max held out his blade.  
  
"Draciel, return!"  
  
Wolborg jumped to alert the moment his 'foe' returned to her blade. Not yet attacking, he lowered his head in warning and growled at the men, hunching muscular shoulders, prepared to take them all on.  
  
"Steady, take careful aim. Aim between the eyes!" the head guard ordered.  
  
"What are they thinking?! Nothing can kill a sacred spirit!" Kenny informed the rest, clutching Dizzy to his chest. "Their power is too great!"  
  
"The weapons the guards are carrying aren't normal guns either," Mr. Dickenson explained as he, along with the other adults, stood before the teens, shielding them. "We use them at the BBA to keep savage bit beasts under control. The laser beams these guns emit momentarily scramble the cells in the bit beasts' bodies, forcing them to return to their blades. However, those are the ancient, true-blooded spirits. Wolborg is man-made; we don't know how he will react to this. It could quite possibly kill him," he said, turning to the doctor. "Is there no other way?"  
  
"That creature is a threat to all those in this hospital. I understand you unwillingness but the lives of several hundred patients and personnel are at stake here. I'm sorry, Mr. Dickenson, but if bringing it down is the only way to stop it I must."  
  
He raised his hand, signalling them to prepare to fire.  
  
The rest of the adults, including Judy, were still hesitating and the Bladebreakers loudly protested. Ray, however, paid no attention to anything except the targeted creature.  
  
'Something's not right here...'  
  
Bit beasts didn't attack people, at least not without a reason. Amphilyon had been caught up in battle when it had tried to attack Tyson; and Falborg had been ordered by Bryan to attack him. But nothing here could have triggered Wolborg to attack.  
  
Stepping away from the others, Ray studied the wolf's movements. Its body was rigged and fur bristled. Claws scraped the tiles floors and teeth snapped wetly. Ears flat against its head and bushy tail whipping madly back and forth. All signs of aggression yet something else was at work here.  
  
As if sensing his stare, the wolf turned its eyes onto him and their gaze locked for a moment. Its eyes; they still glowed but something in them spoke of another emotion.  
  
Something that wasn't anger. Almost like concern...  
  
'Of course! Why hadn't anyone notice this already!'  
  
"Fire on my count! 3...2...1..Fi--"  
  
"NO!!"  
  
"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" the captain shouted, pushing down the weapons near to him, taking their aim off the wolf and the Chinese blader who now stood before it, arms stretched out as in to shield the animal.  
  
"Ray! What are you doing?!" Tyson tried to get to his friend but Bruce held him back. "Ray!"  
  
"Kid, get out of the way!"  
  
"No! Don't hurt it!"  
  
"Ray, come back here this instant!" Mr. Dickenson gasped, his heart beating rapidly at the blader's more than uncomfortable closeness to the bit beast.  
  
"You don't understand! He isn't doing this because he's wild!"  
  
"Kid, I'm ordering you to--"  
  
"He's worried!" Ray shouted at the guard who fell silent. "He only attacked because he can't find Tala! He thinks that you guys have probably done something to him! It's like a parent protecting its child! All he wants is Tala!"  
  
Some of the guards lowered their weapons fully, seeing the logic behind the boy's words. However, they raised them again when the wolf started to move.  
  
Being *somewhat* less intent on attacking, Wolborg tilted his pointed snout into the air and sniffed when he detected a very familiar scent. Making a sound that could only be identified as a 'yip', he turned and inhaled again, his head slowly turning in different directions. Fixing on the hall before him, he started to follow the scent, his cautious steps escalating to a speedy trot when he became more and more convinced that he was going in the right direction. When there was no doubt left in his mind he began to run.  
  
The guards followed, not about ready to trust the wolf on its own.  
  
"Alright then, the four of you stay here--" Mr. Dickenson said to the bladers but Ray was already running, even passing the guards and disappearing down the hall. Left with no other choice, the rest followed.  
  
The wolf turned a corner up ahead and a few seconds later Ray heard the scraping of claws against a door. Picking up speed, knowing that the wolf would easily break down the door, he skidded to a halt around the corner. Sure enough, Wolborg was scratching at a door, whimpering as it did so. When simple nudges and scratches didn't look like they could do the job he started to growl and Ray quickly walked over and turned to handle, opening the door before it could be blasted to pieces.  
  
Wolborg pushed his way through impatiently and entered the room. Ray started to follow but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.  
  
"That was the most reckless thing you've ever done, Ray," Mr. Dickenson scolded. "Your motive was pure and I applaud your insights but never risk yourself so openly again, alright?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Man, talk about a heart-stopper. I thought you'd be wolf meat for sure."  
  
Ray smiled apologetically to Tyson, then turned as Bruce now cautiously pushed the door fully open, two guards behind him and ready to fire should Wolborg attack again. What they found was the exact opposite of the raging beast of a few minutes ago.  
  
The wolf stood completely still a few feet into the silent room, its back turned to them. Nothing on its body moved and it barely even blinked. Ears perked and head straight up, it remained motionless as it took in the sight before him. Finally, a small whimper was made and the ears drooped as the wolf approached the bed in which the red-head laid deep in sleep once more.  
  
Everyone entered, keeping to the walls and silent as they watched. Most of them couldn't believe that this was the same beast that had almost killed two people.  
  
Wolborg came to stand next to his blader's bed and whimpered louder but Tala didn't stir. With a worried whine, the wolf nudged the hand that lay close to him, licking as if trying to remove whatever it was that was making his master ill. It didn't work and with a puppy-like whimper, the large wolf rested its head on the mattress, eyes trained on the serene face, nose touching the pale hand just for the sake of contact.  
  
From where she stood, Judy's heart went out the ice wolf. He had attacked her, yes, but only because he had been concerned for his master. The bit beast must have heard everything that had happened to Tala and the frustration of helplessness must have kept on building in him until the mere whispering of his name by his master had been enough to call him out of his blade.  
  
"What are we going to do with it?" the doctor asked softly, erasing his first impression from the wolf as he watched the solemn creature. "Should we let it stay here?"  
  
"Do you think that it could affect Tala's health?"  
  
Wolborg raised itself on its hind legs, resting its large forepaws gently on the mattress. Using its nose, it nuzzled Tala's face, trying to rouse the silent blader. Giving a pale cheek a small lick, he rested his head on the barely rising chest, eyes watching the calm face intent for any changes.  
  
Signalling the guards to return to their posts, the doctor sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Affect him in a negative way? I don't think so."  
  
"But a bit beast can't stay outside of their blade for too long. How are we going to get Wolborg back in his blade once his energy starts to run out?" Kenny asked, his knowledge on beyblades and bit beasts always at the ready to be shared.  
  
"One problem at a time, Kenny," Bruce said. "For now Wolborg can stay with Tala. Hopefully it will realize that it must return when it feels itself weakening."  
  
Watching the wolf as it continued to try and wake it blader, Ray truly doubted that but remained quiet. From what he had seen the wolf was ready to lay down its life for its master.  
  
tbc...........  
  
*************  
  
*Not only do I make Dranzer a female, but Draciel too?! Why?  
  
#1: I just find 'Draciel' to be a girl's name. Don't ask.  
  
#2: If Draciel *is* male then he is the most effeminate one I've ever seen. I mean, listen to that "roar" it makes. Pretty lady-like if you ask me.  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	15. chapter fifteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
***********  
  
The sun was slowly setting, turning the sky above a glittering gold with tinges of red and purple. The cliff that overlooked the magnificent view sparkled in the setting sun as the rays glimmered on the grass, catching a blade that still clung to hope though it was half buried by the layer of snow here and there, adding jade to the colourful picture.  
  
'How can a place be so breathtaking and terrifying at the same time?' he wondered as he sat in the window seat, knees to his chest as he rested his head on folded arms.  
  
This was without a doubt Voltaire's most secretive home. It had been in this mansion where he had brought Kai to live because he wanted to keep the boy as far away from others as possible, for reasons none too grandfatherly.  
  
Nestled in a mountain range, on a rugged cliff-like side covered with snow, many miles away from the nearest town, the mansion was very old but in an antique way. Every piece of furniture in it was over a century old and the use of electricity had only been introduced a couple of decades ago. Over two dozen bedrooms and two immense dining halls, it had been his home for many years. But each of those years held so much painful and frightful memories...  
  
Sighing, he looked over to Dranzer.  
  
She had been out of her blade for almost four whole days and it was definitely affecting her. Her feathers were no longer flaming red but more of a dull orange glow and she seemed to be ruffling more and more lately, as if trying to generate more heat. She moved around sluggishly and her once magnificent flowing mane now hung limply down her back. Her eyes had taken on an almost glazed look.  
  
And still, nothing he could do would get her back into her blade; which was the only chance she had to regenerate her strength. But she feared leaving him alone and was clever enough to know that the only way he could get her back into her blade was if she was in accord with his command, which she was absolutely not.  
  
'I can't lose her. I don't think I'd be able to handle it...'  
  
Everything just seemed to be piling up against him; the pain, the fear, the total isolation. He was one who needed his personal space but, as Mr. Dickenson had said; he needed to have people around him.  
  
And then there was Voltaire. This bothered him more than anything else. What was the old man up to? Despite his threats, the senior Hiwatari had not returned and Margaret said that he had left for town early this morning. Not a comforting situation.  
  
Rising, he walked around the room aimlessly, Dranzer limping beside him. Unable to allow her to waste the little bit of energy she had left, he picked her up, stroking her head which she wearily rested on his arm, closing dimmed eyes. Even her sized had diminished as her inner strength grew weaker and weaker.  
  
Despite having been here for almost more than a week, he hadn't paid much attention to the place. It had been his room as a kid but his old possessions looked as familiar as they did alien.  
  
Placing Dranzer on a nearby chair where she thankfully remained, though watching his every move intently, he knelt down before the old suitcase, deprived of dust though it had been in this exact spot for years. Running a hand over the rough texture, he recalled how heavy it had been for him when he was smaller. His small arms had strained as he lugged it behind him from where he had stolen it out of one of the closets in the hall. He remembered how he had dragged it all the way up the stairs despite his bruised little body, fearful that someone would see him. How he had tearfully tried to cram his clothing into the bag. How Voltaire had found him half way into the process...  
  
Quickly snapping out of the nightmare, he removed his hands from the suitcase and stood, shuddering at the memories it brought back to him.  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Wow!"  
  
The young bluenette stepped into the guest room which was to be his for the next two weeks while his parents negotiated something with his grandfather. Eyes wide at the splendour, he kept turning in circles, trying to see everything at once.  
  
"I take it that you like it then?" Voltaire chuckled from where he appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Yes, sir." Climbing to sit on the huge bed, he bounced a couple of times, testing the springs. "Everything's really big here; bigger than our house."  
  
"Grandfather has a very successful business," Voltaire explained, sitting down next to the boy who swung his legs, eyes wide in childish wonder. "If your father had done what I told him then you would also have such a big house."  
  
"Oh, is that why dad is always arguing with you?"  
  
He laughed, shaking his head.  
  
"Do not concern yourself with that, Kai. Such things are best left to us adults."  
  
"Sorry, grandfather."  
  
"I am not mad. Who could ever get mad at such a bright face?" He reached out, trailing a soft cheek with his fingertips. "Such a lovely face..."  
  
His fingers moved towards the soft mouth, tracing the full lower lip. The boy was not of age to know what was happening and so remained still, only watching his grandfather with slightly confused eyes.  
  
He leaned in closer, now looming over the boy. Brushing the soft bangs from before deep scarlet eyes, he lowered his hand to the boy's chest and gently placing pressure, eased the child to lie down. Making sure that no one was nearby, he smirked as he started to undo the belt. Kai squirmed uncomfortably beneath him but he held the body in place as he unbuttoned the dark blue pants.  
  
Though he didn't know what was happening, he felt extremely shy when his grandfather started to pull his pants, and underwear, down.  
  
"Hush, child. Let your grandfather have a good look at you," Voltaire grinned as he ran his eyes all over the naked body. Soon a hand started to trace the soft skin. "Perfect...Simply perfect..."  
  
His breathing had picked up in uncertain anticipation but his grandfather simply gave his inner thigh a pat and pulled his pants back up, buckling it up and everything. A calloused hand took hold of his chin and he had no choice but to look up into the other's eyes.  
  
"This is our little secret. Understood? You will not tell your mother or you father. You will not tell the staff. No one will ever know of this, am I clear?"  
  
"Yes, grandfather," he answered shakily.  
  
"Wonderful. Now make yourself at home. You are going to be here for quite some time."  
  
The door closed and he sat up, shaking terribly though he didn't know why. Wrapping his arms around him he could feel his skin tingling from his grandfather's hand. Something about it was wrong; his grandfather shouldn't have touched him like that....right?  
  
Getting to his feet, he started to unpack, eyes slightly teary in fear as he placed his clothes in the big closet. Something was just wrong; and that scared him.  
  
It scared him badly.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
His emotions hadn't deceived him. What should have been a time of amendment had been filled with shouts of anger as his parents had constantly argued with Voltaire. He recalled every threat his father would shout to his own father. His mother would hold his head to her chest and carry him away, whispering assurances in his ear. They were supposed to stay two weeks but it had drastically shortened to three days as it had become obvious that his father and grandfather would never be able to see eye to eye.  
  
Determined to leave, his mother had helped him pack while his father went for the car. It had been the last time he would ever see him; walking down the great staircase of the eerily silent and dark mansion.  
  
When she began to worry, his mother had taken him by the hand and led him downstairs, leaving behind their belongings. It was then that he realized that he had forgotten Dranzer. Pulling free, he ran back upstairs. He heard his mother following him, calling his name desperately.  
  
Then, she fell silent. He never heard or saw her again....  
  
His memories were banished from his mind when he heard a soft *thump* and a weak cry behind him. Turning around, his breath caught to see that Dranzer had fallen off of the chair she had been perched on.  
  
"Dranzer?"  
  
He knelt down beside her, watching with worried eyes as she got to her feet with suppressed difficulty. Being this close to her normally warmed him but right now he could just barely feel any heat. Despite making a hurting cry, she managed to stand, swaying unsteadily.  
  
"You have to get back in your bit," Kai confirmed, pulling out the small metallic object and holding it out to her.  
  
She backed away, practically shaking her head in denial.  
  
"Dranzer, no more fooling around. Nothing is going to happen to me and you need your rest."  
  
His concern only heightened when she stumbled, though continued to back off, cawing in denial.  
  
Sitting back on his heels, he sighed tiredly, eyes deeply worried.  
  
At the sound she immediately came over, fearing that she had caused him even more distress than he already was in. As if to apologize, she rubbed his shoulder with her head, the long mane tickling his face.  
  
"Just for a few hours, Dranzer," he negotiated softly, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'll call you out the moment something happens. Please?"  
  
She looked up at him with intelligent eyes, searching his for a minute but seeing the misery and sadness he was trying to repress, she shook her head and picked the bit from his hand, throwing it across the room.  
  
"Dranzer...I'm not worth your life. Don't do something stupid. I need you to understand me, please, my friend..." He was tired and the bit beast's stubbornness was only making it worse.  
  
Understanding how much it meant for him she began to reconsider it once more but before she could make her decision the door to the room flew open, slamming loudly against the wall behind it, almost cracking off the ornate handle.  
  
"Perhaps this will help her decide better."  
  
Voltaire stood with a very evil grin on his face and a very lethal fire-arm in his hand. It looked more like an ampt-up bazooka, covered in dials and blinking buttons. Whatever it was, things were not going to end good.  
  
Outraged and even more savage due to the man's imposing entrance, Dranzer summoned up her remaining strength and lunged at him before Kai could stop her.  
  
"Dranzer!"  
  
An ear piercing sound went off that picked up tempo until with an explosive blast, the weapon hurled a crackling beam from its long barrel, spearing right through Dranzer's chest.  
  
"DRANZER!!"  
  
Her attack cry turned to one of extreme agony and she threw back her head as the beam exploded from her back. Her body twisted and contorted as she shrieked. And then, in horrifying moment, the light engulfed her and exploded, blinding both males in its light and heat.  
  
The force of the blast threw him against the wall and he landed on the floor, cringing as he landed hard on his bruised side. For a few seconds he was unable to move as the pain ran its course through the rest of his body.  
  
He did feel, though, when something soft landed on his arm. Raising his pounding head, he looked at the object on his arm.  
  
A feather. A single red feather, its red glow having dimmed to orange until it finally went out, disintegrating into ashes that were blown away by the soft draft from the open window.  
  
All that remained of Dranzer.  
  
"No...."  
  
A booted foot came into view and weakly rolling over onto his back, he looked with wide eyes up into Voltaire's eyes which practically glowed with triumph and desire. Kneeling, he grabbed a handful of dark blue hair and sneered in his grandson's face.  
  
"We have a lot of catching up to do, boy."  
  
tbc................  
  
**************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	16. chapter sixteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole purpose to entertain.  
  
*************  
  
Ray clicked on the switch, blinking against the sudden light that filled the hotel bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he wearily walked over to the bed and flopped down, staring up at the ceiling, not really seeing it. He was exhausted. His body had aches and pains that made his former injuries feel like mere paper cuts. His eyes burned also. He hadn't slept for days and the results were as obvious as they were painful.  
  
Sighing, he rolled over onto his stomach, resting his chin on folded arms. Looking straight ahead, his eyes caught sight of Kai's duffle bag. It had been searched by the police in hopes to find something in it that would give them some clue of his whereabouts. It hadn't. The contents had been stuffed back in hastily.  
  
After a few minutes of staring, he got up and walking over, he picked up the black travel pack and brought it back to the bed, sitting down next to it. Taking out the jumbled mess, he started to neatly fold the clothing. A white tangle amidst the dark clothes caught his eye and he pulled it out, recognizing it at once; another white scarf.  
  
Rubbing it between his fingers for a while, he smiled sadly as he remembered the day he had learned of the existence of 'The Second Scarf'. He had always assumed that Kai only had one beloved scarf. The entire day had been spent bugging Kai about it, putting it on and parading around the room. He remembered the small, amused smile that had graced Kai's face when the stupid knot had tightened, almost choking him when he had somehow managed to step on the trailing tail.  
  
He neatly rolled the scarf up and tucked it between the baggy jeans he had already folded. The next thing he recognized was a small black case, its surface shiny with a sparkling red phoenix gracing it.  
  
Kai's face paint.  
  
'It always made him look so untouchable. Even feral,' he thought, tracing the intricate tail feathers that had a surprising amount of curls and twists in them.  
  
Not giving it a second thought, he placed the black casing back in the bag. He finished off the rest of the task in silence, the only sound coming from the zipper as he closed it.  
  
With a shuddering sigh, he laid himself down and soon fell into a restless sleep.  
  
************  
  
"You can be so dramatic sometimes, Kai."  
  
He didn't respond, eyes unseeing as he stared out the open window, ignoring the calloused fingers that ran through his sweat soaked hair. His breathing had yet to return to normal and the shivering brought only more pain to his already hurting body.  
  
"You know that it is impossible to kill a sacred spirit, much less a phoenix."  
  
"It's going to take her days before she will be reborn," he argued, turning away when the hand brushed his bruised cheek.  
  
"Indeed, which means we have some quality time for ourselves." Voltaire smirked vilely at that thought. His arms around the boy's chest and waist tightened as he pulled him closer, their bare skin slick with sweat and heat.  
  
Kai refused to look the old man in the eyes. Instead he idly played with the empty bit in his hand, noting sadly how cold the metal was without the fire of the phoenix inside it.  
  
It had been an hour since his bit beast had evaporated before his very eyes. He had been so overcome with shock that he had forgotten the legendary ability of resurrection Dranzer was gifted with. It had been a rather mild comfort though; the weapon his grandfather had used had no doubt scrambled her entire molecular structure. He feared the effects it would have on her reborn form.  
  
Looking at his watch, Voltaire sighed.  
  
"The damn meeting..."  
  
Kai didn't look up as he felt the bed shift as the man got up. He barely registered the sound of clothing being put on. It wasn't until a calloused hand turned his head with uncommon gentleness that he blinked, eyes still burning from the tears he had shed earlier.  
  
"No matter what you do, boy, you will never escape me. You belong to me," Voltaire growled, tightening his hold in the soft hair. "Understand?"  
  
"I belong to no one," Kai daringly retorted. "Especially not you."  
  
Instead of getting angry, Voltaire smirked.  
  
"I see it will take more time to break you in. And I personally will enjoy doing that."  
  
Kai recoiled when the thin lips pressed down on his but he remained unmoving, knowing that any form of struggle would urge the man on. Still, he fought back the nausea as a wet tongue slithered past his lips, lapping at his almost hungrily.  
  
'Make it stop...Please...Make him go away...'  
  
Pulling away, the old man grinned at the flustered face of his only living relative.  
  
"So beautiful. You truly are a gift from above."  
  
Unable to meet the cold eyes, he rolled onto his side, mutely staring at the wall. A tickling sensation ran down his spine as Voltaire ran a single finger down his back but luckily the man removed his hand and stood up.  
  
"Fight me all you want, Kai, but know that you are alone in this world."  
  
With that he walked out, shutting and locking the door behind him.  
  
The words replayed in his ears and Kai closed his eyes, his breathing becoming soft sobs as their weight settled upon him.  
  
'No! I must fight it! I must fight him!'  
  
Reaching over the edge of the mattress to pick up his jeans, he painfully pulled them on before standing, breathing hard to calm himself down. He normally would go somewhere to think but everywhere he looked in the room reminded him about his past...  
  
About his pain....  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Come Kai, we have to leave!"  
  
"Mom? What's wrong?"  
  
"No time to ask, my child. Take my hand."  
  
"Why are we running? Where's papa?"  
  
"Kai, please, just follow me!"  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"As far away from here as we can. Don't look back, Kai."  
  
"I forgot Dranzer!"  
  
"We have to leave her! We must get out!"  
  
"No! I can go get her! She's in my room!"  
  
"Kai! No! Come back!"  
  
"I have to get her!"  
  
"Kai! KAI!"  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
Shaking the voices out of his head, he looked around, hoping to find a distraction, any distraction.  
  
He found it in the form of the small television on top of the dresser. He had known it was there but had been too caught up in his dilemma that he had ignored it. After a few minutes indecision he picked up the remote control and turned it on.  
  
There was a crackle but then a perfect image came on.  
  
Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, he started flicking through channels until,  
  
"....there have been no new discovery that could lead police to the whereabouts of Kai Hiwatari who disappeared nine days ago..."  
  
He sat up straighter, eyes intent on the news broadcaster who spoke in a grave voice.  
  
"Many high authorities have all pointed to one suspect, namely Voltaire Hiwatari, grandfather to the missing teen. Law enforcements have been after Voltaire, who is head of the Biovolt corporations at the age of 68, for years. Accused of what some even call genocide, he has been suspected to have betrayed Russia during the war which led to the loss of some thousands of soldiers. He was also the main, and practically proven, suspect in the deaths of his own son and daughter-in-law. Other crimes include financial frauds, illegal weapon possession, drug-dealing, and, most disturbing of all, child molestation and rape.  
  
"Unbelievably, though, the worse sentence he has ever received was a two year jail penalty for drug dealing, of which he only spent 3 months due to his lawyers and resources, who have been able to outsmart the law on every occasion, using everything in their power to keep their client's head above water. Voltaire was even present at this year's Beyblade World Championship tournament in which his grandson's team was competing. But the police, and judge, say that he can do no more running.  
  
"Police have believed to have made a break-through after they arrested Boris Balcov, second-in-command to Voltaire and ex-director of Balcov Abbey in Moscow. His arrest took place during the BBA's Trophy Ceremony when he was caught assaulting one of his own apprentices in the old basement garage. The victim, the former world champion team's captain, Tala Ivanov."  
  
"Tala..." he breathed, gripping the remote tighter.  
  
"Ivanov was rescued by this man," a picture came on the screen, "Bruce Granger, father of Bladebreaker member Tyson Granger. The victim has been brought to the hospital though remains in critical condition. Three other teens, also from Balcov Abbey, are also in the hospital though their condition remains unknown."  
  
Kai released a small sigh of relief. At least they were alive.  
  
"In what is quickly becoming one of the largest manhunt in Russian history, people are being urged to keep an eye out for both Voltaire Hiwatari and Kai Hiwatari. BBA Head Chairman Stanley K. Dickenson has placed a $20 million dollar reward for the arrest of Voltaire or the whereabouts of Kai. We have with us now some footage of the yesterday's report conference in which Mr. Dickenson had addressed this situation."  
  
The scene switched to a full conference room. At the front was a stage with Mr. Dickenson standing at the podium. And behind him...  
  
"Guys..."  
  
His team. His friends. But they looked nothing like how he had last seen them. There was no trace of mirth or even life in them. Tyson looked to have lost weight and Max stood with his head bowed, eyes and face downcast. Kenny looked simply lost. And Ray...  
  
"No guys, you're stronger than this," he said softly, disbelieving how horribly the Bladebreakers were being affected by all this. His heart only clenched more when Mr Dickenson started to speak.  
  
"The BBA is doing all in its power to find Kai and return him to his friends. That is our main objective. He is very dear to us and his abduction is nothing short of devastating." The man's voice was shaky and the hands that rested on the podium's edge gripped the wood tight. "To anyone out there who has but the smallest bit of information that could help us, please contact the BBA or any law enforcement office. The current reward stands at $20 million but I am prepared to pay more to get him back with us. No person, especially not one of his youth, should be in the situation he is now."  
  
The screen went back to the anchor but he tuned her out, the practically pleading words of Mr. Dickenson replaying over and over again in his ears; so much that, with a somewhat choked cry, he dropped the remote.  
  
"Also at the press conference, one of Kai's team mate's had this to say."  
  
Raising his eyes, he stared at the golden eyes on the screen that shimmered just like a sun that had almost fully set. He slowly slid onto his knees on the floor, holding his breath as the Chinese blader began to speak.  
  
"We won the title of world championships a couple of weeks ago and we were very excited. Now, however, that doesn't matter at all anymore. Nothing does. Not to us anyways. Our captain and friend is out there somewhere, being held against his will. Many see Kai as someone who doesn't care for others and keeps to himself. He's everything but. Without him on the team, we doubt we would have ever made it this far. We learned a lot from him. We did our best to prove to him that he taught us well. Every second he made us train he also made us better people. He has been there for us through all our tournaments."  
  
The soft voice started to waver and Kai closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm himself.  
  
"And Kai, if you can hear me, wherever you are; we are all here for you, buddy. Nothing will ever make us think less of you. We are praying for you. All the other teams are too. Things aren't the same without you, Kai. Please Kai, just hold on. We will find you and things will get better. I promise..." A lone tear ran slowly down the neko-jin's cheek. "We really miss you."  
  
"Well there you have it, the heartbreaking plea from the Bladebreakers to-- "  
  
Unable to hear more, he clicked off the TV and tossed the remote away, ignoring the clatter it made as it landed on the floor. The only sound left was that of his heavy breathing.  
  
'Why is this happening?!'  
  
His control started to crumble.  
  
'Everything's just so wrong!'  
  
His breathing became pants.  
  
'Everyone is hurting!'  
  
The news was too much and his grief too great and with a small cry of pain he fell to the floor, his eyes clenched shut though tears still escaped, trickling onto the soft carpet. Behind him the door opened, followed by a cry of shock and dismay, which was overwhelmed by the sound of a loaded tray falling from numb hands.  
  
"Kai!"  
  
Tearfully looking up he was just able to make out Margaret's distressed face before he passed out into darkness.  
  
tbc.............  
  
*************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	17. chapter seventeen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to amuse.  
  
************************  
  
"Fucking waste, I tell yah. Should have seen it coming."  
  
"I'd go to the cops if I was you. File a complain."  
  
"You thick?! I'd get arrested right on the spot and end up in the same place as that bastard..."  
  
The rest was drowned out when a group of men at another table exploded in laugher but Bruce's attention had been piqued.  
  
It was nearing the end of week two and no leads had been discovered though the officials were still searching. It was as if Kai had fallen off the face of the earth. Boris, despite all the threats and demands, wasn't talking. His trial was coming up in a week but he remained as pompous as ever, choosing instead to mock the situation and their efforts. The workers and scientists from the Abbey had all gone through extensive interrogations but it became clear that, though they worked for him, none of them knew much of Voltaire, much less his hide-aways. Of the four bladers, Bryan was the only one conscious but he altered a lot between awareness and sleep.   
  
On their side, the number of bladers had lessened though the concerns were all the same. The White Tigers and the Majestics had returned home, unable to help and called for by relatives or, in the Majestics' case, responsibilities. They made it clear though that they wanted to be kept informed of the preceding. The remainders could only wait and hope for the best. Kai's team mates were definitely feeling it. Even Ray, who had kept up a brave facade for the others, was showing signs of tension and weariness. Tyson and Max were barely recognizable, both having lost their brightness. Kenny spent hours on his laptop, searching late into the night for anything to help the officials out. It had only two days ago that Bruce had entered the living room to find the small boy sprawled over the coffee table, having passed out in exhaustion, face streaked with tears of frustration.  
  
He had used his own people and resources to assist in the massive undertaking and had worked alongside Stanley and Judy. Private investigators, expert hackers, international officials, local law enforcement; a group that would have found its target within a day. But Voltaire was too powerful and his money too much. Bank accounts were blocked and any contacts were also inaccessible.  
  
Needing a time-off before he burst with frustration, Bruce had left the building, simply walking through the streets with no real destination. His wandering eventually brought him to a bar he had visited before with his dad. Cold and miserable, he had entered and taken a seat at the bar, musing over his drink, ignoring the other, rather loud, tenants. That is, until a certain topic between two men nearby caught his attention. One was an obvious American from his accent. He was dressed in a smart suit but looked like he had been mellowing about the bar for some time; his shirt untucked and his tie loose. The other was dressed more casually.  
  
What had gotten his attention was the mentioning of a red-head. It could have been anyone but his mind had immediately turned to Tala. Pretending to lean back to see the small television mounted on the wall better, he listened to pick up more of the discussion. The American was obviously very bitter about the topic.  
  
"50,000,- fucking dollars lost! If I ever get my hand on that bastard...!"  
  
"50.000?! You paid $50.000,- for a whore?!" his friend asked aghast.   
  
"Yes, or rather, that's part of the amount. But it would have been money well-spent. The bitch was the best I've had in years! The best time to take them is when they are young and tight. If you were there and had seen the look in them blue eyes of his and had heard the muffled cries you would have come without even laying a hand on him."  
  
"That good, huh?" the other chuckled, taking a swig of beer.  
  
"That fucking good... Not like any of the boys I've had back home. But that fool Balcov got himself arrested..."  
  
His friend gave him a sympathetic pat on his back but Bruce's eyes narrowed. How would this American know Boris or Tala? The ex-director had always kept a very tight hold on any of his students, especially his top bladers.  
  
'The...semen...we found in him suggest that it was more than one man. We found 5 different types.'  
  
The doctor's words which sounded in his mind plus what he had just heard solved the 'mystery'; after their loss to the Bladebreakers, Boris had, for some reason, attempted to...sell Tala. Judging from Voltaire's reaction to the defeat it must have been a matter of financial money. Or Boris was simply the most sadistic bastard walking this earth. Both were just as likely.  
  
Someone dropped onto the seat next to him and Bruce was surprised to see it to be the American. His friend had vanished, probably went home or passed out in the bathroom. In any case the man who knew rather vital information to the case was brooding right next to him.   
  
"Two beers," Bruce told the bartender. Turning to the man, he asked, "Rough day, pal?"  
  
The man seemed to just notice him but nodded a grunted answer.  
  
"Rough time," he corrected.   
  
The beers were served and Bruce took one, offering the other one to the man. Pretending to make sure that no one was listening, Bruce began his interrogation, relieved to realise the man didn't recognize him from the news.  
  
"So you were swindled by Balcov too?"  
  
The man's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing in dislike for the name.  
  
"What's it to you?"  
  
"Nothing at all. Just got off the phone with a friend who's also bitching about that bastard."  
  
Studying him for a moment, the man then sighed and leaned onto the bar.  
  
"Yeah, probably one of the other men who were there."  
  
"My friend said that some lucky son-of-a-gun had managed to pay down on a rather costly red-head." He mentally winced at his own blunt words but he needed to play it this way if he was going to get the man to talk.   
  
"Lucky?" the man snorted, putting down the now empty bottle with a loud *clink*, "I lost 50.000!"  
  
"So I heard. No doubt Balcov managed to stash it away before he was caught," he shrugged, handing the man another beer.  
  
Again the American snorted.  
  
"Stash away? He used it to fond more blasted experiments. Like it is any of my fucking business if his boss refused to pay him anymore..."  
  
"My friend said he'd been selling boys for years."  
  
"Your friend got his wires crossed. He only started after the Russians lost the championships. And only one kid was up to be auctioned off, though we were allowed to...'test'...the item first." The man chuckled softly at the memory. "Best testing I've ever had to do. Such a sweet package; all tied up and laid out. Too weak to put up a good fight but still had enough energy to struggle beneath you so fucking good."  
  
His fingers curled tightly around the cool surface of his beer but Bruce kept himself in check. He couldn't blow this. Faking a smirking grin, he raised a brow.  
  
"Sounds like a perfect buy. Too bad there was only one of them."  
  
The man, having gotten his hand on a third beer, blinked blearily in concentration.  
  
"Actually...I think there was another. Nah, he wasn't there..."  
  
"Who?" Bruce questioned, pretending to do so distractedly as he watched a waitress flirt with one of the patrons.  
  
"We were with I think seven, buyers that is. One of them asked Balcov about another boy. What was that bitch's name...?" He looked off into space, pondering. "Tai? No, that's not it....Hi, no....Lai...?"  
  
"Kai?" Bruce offered.  
  
"Yeah! That's it!" The eyes narrowed though. "How do you know?"  
  
"The man who asked for him is my friend," Bruce said, using quick thinking to cover.  
  
"Oh...well, anyways, yeah. That was the boy's name. Anyways, Boris said he wasn't up for auction. Something about him having to catch a plane with his boss."  
  
Bingo. Bruce mentally took a deep breath; this piece of information was just what they needed.  
  
"Should have tried bargaining for him."  
  
"Boris' boss is a fucking millionaire. No way in hell any of us had enough money for that one. The man has houses everywhere. Who the hell needs to reserve an entire plane for a ten hour flight?! I'm surprise he didn't take the red-head as well."   
  
By now the man was ranting, beers having caught up to him. What he said could have been alcohol induced but Bruce hoped it was true.  
  
"I'll tell ya one thing...," the man swayed in his seat, about ready too topple. "I hope thut basturd rots in prison!"  
  
He wasn't going to get anything else out of the now thoroughly drunk business man so he sighed and stood. Before walking off though he leaned over and looked the man in the eyes.  
  
"Tell me one thing, the red-head you were 'robbed' of, what was his name?"  
  
The man blinked and looked pensive, or as pensive as a drunken person can be, before shrugging.  
  
"Ne'er asked. Didn't care. Little bitch wuz meant only for a good'lay whenever I want'd, nothing more." With that he collapsed on the bar-top, slipping into an incoherent sleep.  
  
Bruce watched him for a moment before nodding darkly. Walking out of the bar, he pulled out his cell and dialled.  
  
"Mr.Dickenson? I have some information that may be useful. Also, can you get a couple of the cops downtown at the bar near the dock? There's an individual inside that needs some legal reality check..."  
  
**************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Bastard!!"  
  
"Don't you talk to me that way, *boy*!!"  
  
"How could you do this?! He's your grandson!!"  
  
Gentle hands gathered him, holding him against a soft chest. Scared, he buried his face in the soft material of her blouse.  
  
"Mama..."  
  
"It's okay," she assured, covering his ears to block out the heated argument.  
  
"He needs to be taught the harsh way of life!! I will not make the same mistake raising him as I did you!! He will grow to be a strong man; one I can proudly call my heir!!"  
  
"Bullshit!! You just want him for your own twisted pleasure!! I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I *will* make you pay for ever touching him!!"  
  
Breaking off the elder's glare, he turned and took his family in his arms.  
  
"We're leaving," he told them softly, beginning to guide them out of the large library.  
  
"Don't you walk away from me!! Come back here!!"  
  
"Over my dead body!!"  
  
Peaking over his mother's shoulder, her soft blue hair tickling his face, he shivered when enraged crimson eyes glared baleful daggers at his parents' retreating forms. A sneer spread across the stern face.  
  
"I will hold you to those words, *boy*."  
  
The door slammed shut behind them.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
Dreams had a way of transferring into the real world and he jumped at the sound of the banging door. Sitting up suddenly, he panted for breath, expecting to find himself back in that library, with his parents and grandfather. Instead, he was in his room, and alone.  
  
What had happened? Why was he in bed? He didn't remember lying down...  
  
"Oh man..." he sighed as the memory of his breakdown enlightened him. His abduction...Voltaire...Tala...Dranzer...The Bladebreakers; everything was just a jumbled mass of pain and depression in him. He had nothing left to keep him going. Except...  
  
"Margaret."  
  
Her frightened voice and worried face came to mind. She must have placed him in bed. He remembered hearing her speaking to him through the darkness, sitting beside him loyally many times, telling him stories of her home and places she had been. Though he couldn't respond, she knew he could somehow hear her and wanted him to know that she was there for him.  
  
His muscles were badly cramped and with a stifled moan of pain he stretched and was about to stand when the door handle wobbled. Freezing on the spot, he waited but then relaxed when Margaret entered...only to feel his heart clench again.  
  
"Margaret?"  
  
She looked up in surprise but then smiled. Balancing two trays in her hands, she walked over and placed them on the nightstand, her movement somewhat awkward.  
  
"You're awake. I had feared that you had slipped out of my control. Lay down; I have something for the pain."  
  
He didn't hear a word she said, his mind desperately telling him that his eyes were lying as he looked at her.  
  
"Margaret..."  
  
"You've been unconscious for a couple of days; eat some bread to regain your strength." She held out the plate, pretending everything was normal.  
  
Taking the plate from her, he placed it back on the tray, instead holding her hand in his, studying the angry welts that surrounded her thin wrist. She pulled away, her calm facade somewhat chipped as she nervously cleared her throat, turning back to the tray.  
  
"I brought you some medicine in case you felt any sore throat. Oh, take some tea, for you throat. I put extra lemon in it." Her voice was soft and somewhat hoarse, trembling though not as much as her hands as she poured the hot liquid into the cup.  
  
Watching her fight her pain to be brave for him, his eyes watered.  
  
"Margaret...I'm sorry..."  
  
She stopped pouring and looking at him with her one open eye, the other too swollen to see, she shook her head.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Kai. I'll live." She offered him a smile, despite how painful the action was.  
  
"When...?" He couldn't finish the sentence.  
  
She sighed softly, picking up a heated pack and gently placing it behind him to warm his back.  
  
"Only last night."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Please don't get upset about it, dear. I rather it happened to me than to you again. You weren't in a state to protect yourself."  
  
"Just because I was unconscious didn't give him the right to touch you--"  
  
"That's enough, Kai," she cut in sharply, "I don't care if I have to be his whore every night; as long as it keeps him away from you I will do it."  
  
A silence fell between them. Kai taken back by her defensive tone and Margaret keeping herself busy with adding something to his tea which she offered again.  
  
"Please drink it."  
  
Taking the steaming cup, he took a small sip, flinching as the lemon stung his somewhat sore throat on the way down. It took a while but he finally finished the tea and handed it back. Glancing at her bruised face, he looked away and waited a few seconds before asking softly, "Were you afraid?"  
  
A long minute passed before, "Yes. Yes, I was."  
  
Both felt silent, letting each other's company soothe them.  
  
*****************  
  
Ray sighed in frustration and slammed the book shut, pushing it away from him and flopping over onto his back.  
  
It was nerve wrecking. No sighting. No findings. No clues. No phone calls. Absolutely *nothing*.  
  
His fingers absentmindedly searched for and found the smooth casing on the nightstand. Running his fingers idly over the curved gold tail feathers of the phoenix, he tried to think of something other than what was going on around him but it was impossible.  
  
They were entering day four of Wolborg's sudden appearance and the glacier bit beast had remained next to his master. At first he had absolutely refused to allow anyone near Tala, growling and snapping sharp teeth at any hand that came near the red-head. But then it had slowly come to realise that they were helping him, not hurting him. The wolf would watch with concentrated eyes every movement the doctors and nurses made, searching for the slightest malice.   
  
Early yesterday morning, however, the first signs of weakness appeared as the wolf started to stumble and sometimes collapse, its energy failing. Yet it was adamant about being able to see its blader and had struggled back to its feet every time. A stretcher was brought in, at Judy's request, and the bit beast had accepted the aid, glad to be able to lay on it next to his master, resting his head on the mattress, nudging a hand or shoulder every now and then.  
  
One good thing had happened, though. Two days ago. Ray had been sitting in the room, something he did a lot, hoping Tala would wake up and be okay, when the door behind him had opened. Expecting a nurse or one of the others, he hadn't turned at first but the footsteps were doubled. One was soft, a nurse whose footsteps he had come to recognize. The other, however, was heavy and somewhat unstable.   
  
Standing, he had been surprised to see the tall, burly figure of Spencer slowly walking towards him, allowing the nurse to lead him. Bandage covered the blond's eyes but he seemed to notice Ray, his head turning in the neko-jin's direction before returning to face forward as he was brought to stand next to the bed.  
  
Wolborg's head had risen the moment the door had opened but now the ears flitted in recognition and he whimpered. Hearing the sound, Spencer frowned slightly but held out a hand which Wolborg leaned over to nuzzle. Petting the beast's snout, Spencer said something to the nurse in russian and she replied before stepping back.  
  
"How is he?" Ray had asked, coming to stand next to her.  
  
"We're still trying. He has been asking to visit the others for days." She smiled softly at something the blond told Wolborg, which got him a disagreeing snort. "He worries for Wolborg. He's telling him to go back to his blade," she informed Ray.  
  
The visit had ended with Spencer taking Tala's much more slender hand in his and saying what sounded like a prayer to his captain. The nurse had then led him out to go visit Ian, who had undergone surgery to repair a ruptured vein in his head.  
  
"All of this...All because of one man..."  
  
Ray had never hated anyone in his life. At the moment, however, he was going crazy with want to maul Boris. And Voltaire. How could two men completely destroy so many peoples' lives? How was it possible?  
  
Pondering, his finger continued to trace the design on the casing. He knew every curve by now. How many times had he sat in the room while Kai had held this black box in his hands, applying the markings that were his trademark? How many times had he bugged Kai about it? Asking him why he needed a casing when the paint came with its own? Kai had always replied; 'In case of an emergency.'   
  
The silence in the room was interrupted when the phone went loudly. Startling, he reached over and grabbed it off the horn, his heart beating hard.  
  
"Hello?...Oh, hey Mr.D....No, I just thought....*sighs*....It's alright. Is there anything you need?...Yeah....Let me get a pen." Finding one in the drawer of the nightstand, he took his rejected book and opening it he began to write on the inner cover. "So this is the new phone number?...Alright....Yeah, I'll give it to the others....Okay, bye."  
  
Hanging up he was about to go downstairs to find the others when Max, Kenny and Tyson rushed in.  
  
"We heard the phone."  
  
"Did they find anything new?"  
  
"Did Boris confess?"  
  
"Is Tala awake?"  
  
He shook his head, feeling bad to shatter their hopes though his had been already. The small portion of hope fell from their face.  
  
"Oh...well, who was it?" Tyson asked, dropping down on the bed next to Ray while Kenny and Max each took a chair.  
  
"Mr Dickenson just called to say that he has a new phone number, in case we need him urgently."  
  
"That's good. I mean, maybe we'll find something and..." Max began but didn't finish, instead sighing as if to chastise himself.  
  
Looking at his down team mates, Ray couldn't recall a single moment in time when he had ever seen them like this.  
  
"I just don't get why we haven't even heard anything," Kenny said softly, hugging Dizzy to him, "Why hasn't Kai found a way to contact us or something."  
  
"I don't think Voltaire will let him. Maybe he has him locked in a room," Max pointed out, hugging his knees to him. "Or maybe he...Maybe Kai is...."  
  
"Don't go there, Max," Ray intervened, softening his voice when the blond flinched at his tone, "We don't know anything. But Kai's tough. And he's alive. He'll pull through this. We've got to believe in him and in Mr D and everyone else. We will win this."  
  
"What makes you so sure?" Tyson asked, distractedly playing with the black casing Ray had left on the bed.  
  
Offering the navy-haired blader a small smile, Ray said, "Because we're the good guys."  
  
Tyson returned the smile softly despite his mood. Glad to see some recognition of the Dragoon blader, Ray picked up the book.  
  
"You guys better write this number down."  
  
Max got up and retrieved a notepad and a pen and sat back down on the bed next to Tyson, waiting for the number.  
  
"34..." Ray began, watching the blond write down the numbers.  
  
"99..."   
  
Tyson still played with the casing, trailing the elaborate tail feathers.  
  
"16..."  
  
As he watched Max write he followed Tyson's movements out of the corner of his eyes.  
  
"43..."  
  
That pattern...  
  
"87..."  
  
He had followed it so many times...  
  
"76."  
  
And now...  
  
Max sighed as he finished but his eyes widened when Ray suddenly leaned forward, grabbing the casing from a shocked Tyson.  
  
"Sorry, Ray! I didn't damage it, I swear!" Tyson said, mistaking the tiger's actions.  
  
Ray didn't hear him, instead tracing the gold patterns.   
  
So familiar....  
  
'...In case of an emergency...'  
  
"That's it..."  
  
"What?" Tyson asked but instead of answering, Ray grabbed the phone and quickly dialled the number he had just been given, leaving the other three bladers confused.  
  
"Mr Dickenson, I think I have a clue here! We'll be there in ten minutes!"  
  
Hanging up, he jumped to his feet.  
  
"Ray? What's wron--" Kenny started to ask but the tiger blader pulled him to his feet and began for the door.  
  
"Get your coats! Let's go!"  
  
Unable to do anything else, the younger boys did as they were told.  
  
Running to the front door for his coat, Ray actually smiled for the first time in a long time. All this time he actually might have had the answer right in his hands...  
  
tbc............  
  
********************  
  
Read & Reviews, please. 


	18. chapter eightteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
*********************  
  
"How is he doing?"  
  
"Ian's recovering. Pissed because he can't leave the bed or sit up because of his head, but he will live."  
  
"That's good to hear," he smiled, able to understand their small friend's predicament; his own bed feeling more like a prison than any cell he was ever in. His face sobered again, though, when he asked the next question.  
  
"Tala's awake?"  
  
"Not when I saw--," Spencer cut himself off with a frustrated sigh. "Not when I visited him."  
  
Bryan studied his blond companion, not used to seeing the strong man of the team so helpless looking.   
  
"He will recover; he's the strongest out of all of us." His confidence wavered, however, as he tried to reassure his friend on his own situation. "The doctors here will find a way to repair your sight."  
  
"My eyes are too fucked up, even for them. Face it, Bryan; I'll never be able to blade again..."  
  
Sighing, the Falborg blader laid back on the pillows beneath him, light eyes staring half-seeing up at the ceiling.   
  
"Why is that such a bad thing?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!"  
  
"Not that I don't want them to help you, of course. But I mean, do you still have the want to beyblade?"  
  
"Of course!" Spencer snorted, "Don't you?"  
  
His only answer was silence in the dark of his vision.   
  
"...Bryan?"  
  
"No."  
  
He couldn't see the lilac-haired blader's face, but he could hear the saddened yet resoluted tone.  
  
"But...why? That's what we've been raised for. All our lives--"  
  
"You call what we had a life?"  
  
He fell silent, unable to believe the defeated voice he had rarely heard coming from their most fierce some blader. Bryan wasn't a person who shared his feelings, not even with his friends. For him to be speaking about this now, in that tone of voice, proved how much pressure the past few weeks had had on the Falborg blader.  
  
"We had no lives, Spencer. All we did was train and obey. Up until all of this I accepted it. But now... I want a change. I want something else. Falborg is a good friend and very powerful, and beyblading is one of the very few things I have ever loved, but...I just want to be ordinary. And the only way I can do that is by leaving all this behind me."  
  
All his team members knew that he only said what he truly believed in and always stuck to it, so Spencer knew it was useless to try and talk his peer out of his decision.   
  
"So what are you going to do, once they let you go?"  
  
He picked up Falborg's blade from where it laid next to the bed and twirled it in his palm.  
  
"Away. I don't know where, but as far away from here as possible. And I won't come back."  
  
"What about the team?"  
  
The same question he had asked himself ever since the thought came to mind. He had to get away from Moscow and his bad memories, but that would mean leaving the only people he had ever cared for as friends. Could he do that and live with it for the rest of his life? Leave behind people who he had shared and lost so much with?  
  
"I won't leave until all of us are out of this place," he said, not answering the question.  
  
He knew Bryan was deliberately not answering but let it drop. The present was hard enough without having to worry about the upcoming time. Nodding, he respected the other's decision. They sat in a few minutes of companionable silence. Sighing, Bryan sat up and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Placing a hand on one of the blonde's broad shoulders, he stood up, wincing softly at the noticeable pain in his leg which was still far from being fully healed.  
  
"If I spend one more second in this bed I'm going to scream. Ian's still up?"  
  
"Yeah," Spencer confirmed, also standing.  
  
"Which room is he in?"  
  
"303."  
  
Taking hold of the blonde's elbow to guide him, Bryan smirked.  
  
"Well, now's the best time to bug him; he can't reach us."  
  
The blond snorted but nodded, allowing his friend to lead him out the room.  
  
***********************  
  
"...and from what we have gathered we can hope to rightfully assume that Voltaire, and thus Kai too, has not left Russia. We were able to calculate possible area's that are within the 10 hour radius, by plane, of Moscow. That narrows the search to this area, the utmost eastern regions of Russia. Still, it remains a large search area..."  
  
"And we aren't even sure if he was telling the truth, or even knew it himself," Bruce pointed out, leaning heavily on his elbows.  
  
Judy nodded, folding the staff she was using to point out on the large map before them.  
  
"Yeah, but it's better than nothing," Mr. Granger said, "Can't you use some satellite or something to pinpoint Voltaire?"  
  
"We tried; it has been done in the past. But to gain access to the satellite you need to have certain information codes of the individual and we don't. Voltaire knows how to cover up his tracks too well. Still, we are organizing to fly our people there to the east to continue the search there. With your permission, Mr Dickenson."  
  
Three pairs of eyes awaited his reply.  
  
"Anything that needs to be done...Go ahead," he nodded to the blond who returned it before calling to give the order.  
  
"I had promised him."  
  
Even Judy, who was on the phone, regarded the old manager with sympathetic eyes.  
  
"It isn't your fault, Stanley. You are doing your best."  
  
"I promised him it would have all ended that night. I said that he would never be hurt again."  
  
"We are making progress. We just have to keep this pace. And wait. And hope. It's all we can do."  
  
"Maybe we can help then?"  
  
The four adults looked up to see the remaining Bladebreakers walk into the room. Judging from the clothes beneath their jackets, Kenny still in his pyjamas, they looked to have run straight out of their hotel. It was Ray who had spoken, something shining in his clear eyes.  
  
"Ah, yes Ray, what is it you have discovered that has caused such excitement?" Mr. Dickenson asked, having almost forgotten the neko-jin had called him not twenty minutes ago.  
  
"This," he said, holding out a black object.  
  
Giving the boy a bemused look, he took the offered object, turning it over as he studied it. The other adults gathered around but by the looks on their faces he could tell that they too could not find what Ray had.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"It's Kai's face-paint case. He always kept it in his bag."  
  
"I fear I do not understand, Ray."  
  
"Me neither, at first. I've been playing with it since..." the light in his eyes dimmed slightly, "since Kai disappeared. However, he once told me that the reason he carried it was 'In case of an emergency'. I didn't understand what he meant at the time but I do now. Look at the tail feathers of the phoenix."  
  
"Yes..." He did as he was told, eyes admiring the flowing curves of the golden feathers.  
  
"It has three tails. Look at the middle one."  
  
As he did so something started to become clear. Tracing the curves, which looped and twirled over the onyx, he started to see the hidden message.  
  
"There are letters...and numbers!" He sat up straighter.  
  
"I discovered them while watching Max write down the number you had given me," Ray said, "I was able to make out the letters A.M.H. and the numbers are a code or something."   
  
"They look like they could be phone numbers," Judy observed, looking over Stanley's shoulder, "But they aren't from Russia."  
  
"But who do they belong to?" Kenny asked.  
  
"'In case of an emergency'..." Mr. Dickenson frowned softly.   
  
Those letters...  
  
A...M...H...   
  
"Could it be…? No…impossible…"  
  
"What? What's wrong, Mr D?" Max asked, practically stretching on the table to try and see what the manager did.  
  
"They may be initials. Of someone's name. But…"  
  
"But what?!" Tyson almost begged, as excited by the turn of events as the others.  
  
His heart started to beat faster as he began to believe more and more that his mind was not mistaken.   
  
'In case of an emergency…'  
  
"Please God tell me this is true."  
  
"What--"  
  
Tyson didn't even get to finish off the sentence as the BBA chairman suddenly stood from his chair and hurried towards his office, leaving the others to follow.   
  
"It cannot be…So many years had passed…Nothing has been heard at all…"  
  
"Mr D, are you feeling okay?" Max asked, eyeing their adopted grandfather with some concern.  
  
Not answering the blonds question, or the others' questioning eyes, he slammed the door to his office open in his haste and making his way to his desk, he grabbed the handle from the desk and pulled it open, quickly flipping through the files before pulling out a rather old looking one. Shifting while still mumbling to himself, he extracted a important looking paper and his smile grew even larger.  
  
"The sun has finally broken through the clouds," he exhaled softly, afraid he would wake up from this dream if he was too loud.   
  
They exchanged confused looks before Bruce spoke up.  
  
"What is it, Mr Dickenson? I'm afraid we are still in the dark."  
  
Handing the paper to the middle-age Granger, he took the precious casing and began to dial, following the flow of numbers that had been so cleverly hidden in the plumes of the shimmering tail feathers. Bruce scanned the document thoughtfully.  
  
"It's a marriage certificate…"  
  
"Whose?"  
  
"June 19, 1951… 'To celebrate the union of V.M.S. Hiwatari and…A.M. Hiwatari…"  
  
It took a while for this to sink in but when it did all eyes turned to Mr Dickenson but he held up his hand, still visibly shaken himself. Someone had answered the phone   
  
"Hello? This is Stanley Dickenson, Chairman of the BBA. Am I speaking to Mrs. Anne-Marie Hiwatari? ...Yes? I fear I have some bad news regarding your ex-husband…..and your grandson..."  
  
tbc......  
  
************************  
  
Read & Reviews, please. 


	19. chapter nineteen

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
********************************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
Gentle hands ran with trembling fingers over the imperfections, withdrawing when he inhaled sharply as one of the darkened areas was prodded.  
  
"Kai..."  
  
Her voice was a combination of shock and pain and the young boy remained silent, puzzled by her behaviour.  
  
"Mama? What wrong?"  
  
She didn't answer. Instead she turned and shouted in a shaky voice his father's name. Soon a tall man ran into the room, concern in his crimson eyes as he knelt down before his small family.  
  
"Vivian, what is it?"  
  
Unable to speak, she pulled back the bathrobe, exposing the boy's hip and legs, once flawless and smooth, now with noticeable red lines and small bruises dotting the waist and upper thighs. For a brief moment an identical expression of shock passed over the man's handsome face before his eyes darkened with something unnamed.  
  
"Kai, where did you get those?"  
  
"Here," he answered honestly, feeling more and more uncomfortable under his parents' eyes.  
  
"Who gave them to you?"  
  
Instead of answering he began to fiddle with the edge of the comforter.  
  
"Kai," his father said in a stern but gentle manner, taking hold of his only child's shin and lifting the small head. "Who touched you?"  
  
His eyesight began to blur rapidly and he started to sniffle. The concerned looks on his parents' faces broke him and he began to sob.  
  
"I'm sorry, papa! I didn't mean to do anything bad!" He was quickly gathered in his mother's arms, clutching her blouse, ashamed though he couldn't understand why. "Don't hate me! I'm sorry!"  
  
"We love you, Kai," his father assured, wiping away the tears from the child's face. "We'll do anything to make you happy. Please, son, who did this?"  
  
Hiccupping, he buried his face in the soft chest.  
  
"He said that things would be okay if I let him touch. It didn't hurt..."  
  
Sergey's eyes narrowed to a glare and he gripped a slender arm, causing the boy to jump and look up at him with wide eyes.  
  
"Did Voltaire do it, Kai?"  
  
Unable to speak through his sobs, he nodded before returning to the safety of his mother's clothed chest.  
  
With the exception of his soft crying the room was silent, neither adults moving. She looked at her husband with despairing eyes, not knowing what to say. She knew he hated his father. He hated *himself* for simply being Voltaire's son. To now learn that his father had been molesting their child in the very same house they were in without them knowing was dangerously cutting the single string which kept him restrained.  
  
And the string snapped.  
  
"Voltaire!!" His voice boomed through their room, causing both her and the child in her arms to jump.  
  
"Sergey no!" she called to him when he rose and strode out of the room, no doubt to find his father. Wrapping the bathrobe securely around the trembling body, she got to her feet and hurried after him, praying to the heavens to protect them as she followed her raging husband to the library.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
He was still caught in the memory of his mother's warm embrace when a voice interrupted his daydreaming, bringing in a sudden draft of cold.  
  
  
  
"You're awake."  
  
He didn't turn from where he stood before the barred window, the late afternoon sun reflecting brightly off the snow and into his eyes, silhouetting him.  
  
"Good. I was beginning to tire of the woman."  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly.  
  
Behind him he heard the insufferable bastard chuckle, the contempt sound drawing nearer as the man came over. He could see his grandfather's strong profile out of the corner of his eye but didn't move. A broad palm was rested on the small of his back and he stiffened, flinching when it then curled around his narrow waist, which had grown even thinner.   
  
Voltaire freely ran his hand over the smooth skin, searching under the shirt to feel the noticeable hip bone. He frowned.  
  
"You're too thin. That bitch is being paid to feed you. I should start paying her with my fists."  
  
"Don't touch her. She has nothing to do with us."  
  
"Ah, so you haven't turned mute."   
  
"How long are you going to keep me here?" Kai asked, ignoring both the remark and the hand that now started to rub his stomach, tracing inevitably lower.  
  
"You speak as if you expect me to send you back," Voltaire said, sounded somewhat surprised, in a sarcastic way.  
  
"So you're just going to keep me locked in this room and screw me till you die?"  
  
The other arm joined in and pulled him fully against the sturdy body behind him. Hot breath blew over his ear.  
  
"Basically, though before I die I'll make sure to shoot you first. Then we will both go to hell."  
  
His curt reply was stopped when a wet tongue began to lick his neck, thin lips suckling the skin until another mark formed, one of the many that were still healing.  
  
"And if I kill you first?" he asked softly, not resisting but in no way encouraging or enjoying the action.  
  
"I hardly think that is likely. Only those who are strong can kill. And you, Kai, are anything but. The short time you spent with those Bladebreakers has already clearly weakened you." His hands worked in unison to undo the button and zipper before slipping in the warmth between the material and the boy's skin. "Remember our last night together before you left with those riffraff's to compete in the American tournament? You didn't shed a tear. Now all I need to do is merely touch...," he brushed his fingers lightly over the flesh he found and Kai jerked despite himself. "And you cringe like a virgin schoolgirl."   
  
"You'll do the same when your fellow prisoners turn you into their bitch once the police get you."  
  
"Are you back talking me, *boy*?" Voltaire growled, spinning the shorter male around. "Don't you dare back-talk me!"  
  
"Leave me the fuck alone!" Kai snapped, unable to take the touches, words and the man's mere presence anymore. He shoved the body before him, intent on dislodging him. A crippling pain shot through his body as the hand holding him *there* answered by squeezing to a point of near paralysis and for a few moments spots flickered before his eyes and he was forced to grab the window sill to stop himself from collapsing.   
  
"What did I say about weakness?"  
  
"Fuck you!"   
  
Voltaire roughly spun him around and shoved him forward, forcing him to bend over to grip the window ledge. His knuckles turned white in surrendered, yet despised, anticipation. He cursed himself inwardly; why did he fight when he knew he couldn't win? Nothing he said was going to get him out of here. Closing his eyes behind long bangs, he waited for the pain, or pleasure, depending on what the twisted man was up to.   
  
"Remove your shirt."  
  
Not even asking or rebelling, he did as he was told. Partly because his entire life he had been taught to obey any order, partly because he wanted this done and over with as soon as possible.   
  
He heard the man unbuckle his belt but when no sound of pants being removed came he started to turn his head.  
  
*SNAP*  
  
The first blow was completely unexpected and Kai fell to his knees initially in shock but the pain quickly caught up as his brain registered the lash. Before he could even compose himself another came, this time across his shoulders. The leather belt whistled through the air as it continued to come down, landing on various parts of his back which soon began to bleed, the skin swelling and darkening under the assault.  
  
Yet, despite the pain and shame, he didn't make a sound, his hands gripping the material of the carpet.  
  
'...why is this happening to me?...all I ever wanted was to be a normal kid...'  
  
Neither heard the door open behind them.   
  
"Lord Voltaire..."  
  
Turning from his bloodied grandson, he glared at the woman whose eyes were wide.  
  
"What?" he snapped, unmoved by the tears that started to form in her eyes.  
  
Gripping her hands to her heart to ensure it wouldn't break, Margaret found her voice and answered, though with much difficulty.  
  
"Y-You have a call, my lord. International. F-From one of your companies."  
  
"Ah yes, I was waiting for it. Very well."   
  
Dropping the stained belt, he simply strode out, not sparing Kai a second look or glance though when he passed Margaret he stared her harshly.  
  
"Get him cleaned up; bring him to the washroom ten doors down. Do not let him wander. Once he is done bring him back at once. And make sure he eats something. We will soon be travelling."  
  
With that he was gone, cape flowing behind him with his long hair as he disappeared down the hall.  
  
Kai slowly started to rise but the action caused the welts and cuts on his tender back to stretch and pull, bringing on a burning sting that caused him to hiss. Biting his tongue, he tried again, this time managing to get to one knee, the pain between his legs from his grandfather's vice-grip slowly ebbing, generously leaving his back to throb and sting.   
  
He jumped but then relaxed when gentle hands took his hand and with a grateful nod he allowed her to slowly help him to his feet. The hands moved but returned to lightly drape a towel over his back. When they started to pull away again he took hold of one on his shoulder and it squeezed his hand in understanding and comfort.  
  
"This way."   
  
He watched the door come nearer, feeling as if being in a dream. He had been locked in this room the whole time and Margaret had been forbidden, under pain of both her and Kai's death, to let him out; as she had the keys to the room too.   
  
The lock opened with a sharp click and she led him out.  
  
As they walked down the hall Kai couldn't help looking around. It had been such a long time since he had been here and having been locked in that room ever since his abduction he was seeing and remembering things as if for the first time. The long halls, the endless rows of doors, the towering heights of the ceilings, the imposing paintings, the dark yet regal colours of the walls and carpets; how could he have thought this place as beautiful when he first came here with his parents so many years ago?  
  
"In here," Margaret opened a door and gently pushed him in when he hesitated. It was dark but the light switch was flicked on and he had to blink against the onslaught of brightness that reflected off the marble tiles and pure white sink and bathtub. The bathroom was large, much larger than the one that was adjoined to his room. It was spotless and fresh despite it not having been used in what must have been years.  
  
Sitting down gingerly at the edge of the deep tub, Kai stared at an invisible spot on the tiles as Margaret readied the bath for him, adjusting the right temperature and adding a few soaps that added a sweet smell to the warm water. Satisfied, she dipped a cloth into the water and wringing it out, she turned and he met her eyes, understanding her intentions and carefully allowed the blanket to slip from his shoulders and back, revealing the swollen welts, now much darker with bruising and dried blood.  
  
Biting her lower lip fretfully, she slowly began the painful process of cleaning the wounds, using the cloth to gently remove the caked blood. His body would tense when she touched a particularly painful welt or when the soap stung in certain wounds more than others. Still, he didn't make a sound, his uneven breath the only thing giving away his discomfort.  
  
It took her a good thirty minutes, as she was forced to work slowly, but soon the blood was all gone, leaving the cloth red and his wounds more tenderly. Washing out the cloth and hanging it over the sink, she said;  
  
"I want to change the bed spreads and blanket and clean the room out a bit. Take a bath and wait for me here and I will bring a change of clothes and bandages for your wounds."  
  
He nodded mutely, not meeting her eyes. A hand caught his cheek and raised his head.  
  
"What he just did was low, Kai. Don't make him get to you. He is a coward. Please don't let--"   
  
"It's not that, Margaret…" he finally spoke, very softly. "He has done worse to me before. It's just that…"  
  
She caught the haunted look in his eyes and her eyes softened in understanding.  
  
"Take a bath. It will help. I'll be back as soon as possible."  
  
Placing a kiss on his forehead, she stood and gathering the bloodied blanket and cloth, left the room, closing the door behind her gently.  
  
For many minutes he didn't move until finally a hand rose to touch a swollen but unopened welt on his shoulder. Tenderly feeling it, he felt a throbbing pain in his chest. Images began to swirl before his eyes…  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*   
  
"Bitch!"  
  
"No! Get away from me!"  
  
"Come here!"  
  
"Get out! Kai, run!"  
  
The sound of leather connected with skin and he jumped as she screamed in pain, struggling to free her hair that was knotted into a large fist, painfully keeping her grounded as the belt continued to strike her legs, left exposed and unprotected by her bathrobes.  
  
"You monster! Let me go!"  
  
"I said shut up!" Voltaire growled, cracking the belt again across her now red and swollen skin. "Fucking bitch! How dare you say I have no honour! How dare you call me a coward!?!"  
  
Tears streaked her face as she sobbed and moaned in fear, pulling out several strands of her cerulean hair as she tried in vain to pull out of his grip, clawing at his hand as he roughly yanked her head about.  
  
"Kai! Go to your room!" she begged, eyes meeting his where he sat shivering in the corner of the room.  
  
Her hair was released but a violent shove sent her forward while the hand now gripped her bathrobe, pulling it off to leave her completely vulnerable to the whips with now came harsher, striking her everywhere; her torso, legs, back and face.  
  
"You are a disgrace to my family, whore! My son was a fool to taint my blood with you peasant genes! You are an embarrassment!"  
  
"You're a monster!" she shouted back, her body trembling and bleeding as she curled in a ball on the floor to protect herself.  
  
"Mama!"  
  
"Kai! No!" she shouted as he started to run towards her, eyes watery. She screamed shrilly when the belt lashed out at the child, catching him squarely in the chest and knocking the breath out of him, causing him to fall to the floor, gasping and gripping his chest in pain.  
  
"Kai!"  
  
The doors to the bedroom swung open, slamming loudly against the walls.  
  
"Get away from them!" his father raged, running over to physically shove the elder Hiwatari, dealing him a solid punch to the jaw. "I'll kill you, bastard! How dare you hurt my family!"  
  
What followed was an extremely loud exchange of foul words, curses, and promised deaths but he heard none of them, instead crawling over to where his mother laid in a heap, weeping as her blood stained the carpet. Reaching her, he nuzzled her face. A hand raised and desperately pulled him close to her, shielding him from the violent argument while she whispered softly in his ears, stroking his small back to ease the shivering.  
  
"Mrs. Hiwatari?"  
  
Gentle hands wrapped a large towel around them both and Margaret helped his mother to her feet, allowing the younger female to lean against her while clutching Kai close to her. Unable to do anything else, Margaret led them out of the room, the angered voices still echoing loudly in the hall and their ears as she brought them away to get cleaned up.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
The bath water rippled as his tears fell, the circles growing larger until finally disappearing.  
  
'None of this would have happened…No one would have been killed…Both of you would still be alive… If I had only been stronger…'  
  
Swallowing a shuddered sob, he slowly rose from the edge and removed his bloodied pants and stepped into the bath, gingerly sinking until he was sitting as comfortable as possible.   
  
He allowed his head to rest against the edge, ignoring the stinging pain as the soap water washed his wounds, whatever medications Margaret had added to it cleansing away.  
  
He could still see her; long cerulean hair cascading down her slender shoulders. Her eyes bright and her smile wide as she sang to him, played with him.   
  
He could still hear her; soft voice that had soothed him through hard times, her heartbeat steady and strong against his ear when he would lay his head on her chest.  
  
He could still feel and smell her; skin so soft it could have been silk. She had always smelled of mint.  
  
What had happened? How could things have gone so wrong? Why had this pain been brought onto him?  
  
His father was such a strong man. He had been so strong, lifting him up high into the air, sometimes even while his mother held him. The deep voice had whispered so many promisses that his father had always kept, going to great lengths not to break them.  
  
*…We'll be alright…We are getting out of here…*  
  
He had promised them. He had left them for a few minutes to get the car. Those were the last words his father had told them.  
  
'He never got the chance to see us one last time. She never got the chance to hug me one last time.'  
  
The faces of his parents floated in his mind and with a broken sob, he closed his eyes as the tears streamed down his face to fall silently into the water.  
  
'I never got to tell them how much I loved them…'  
  
*****************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"Please…no!"  
  
"You take me for a fool?! You think I can't count?!"  
  
"That's all that she gave me--"  
  
"I don't give a fuck! I want my money!!"  
  
"There isn't anything else! Please…!"  
  
"Come here."  
  
"…please…I will bring the rest of the money tomorrow…"  
  
"I said, come *HERE*!!"  
  
Gasping softly between his sobs, he slowly shuffled forward, blue eye pleading with the tall man before him.  
  
"Not again…please, not again…"  
  
"Get on your hands and knees."  
  
"Jacob…"  
  
"*NOW*!!" the tower of a man boomed and he wilted beneath the volume.  
  
Unable to do anything else, he obeyed. Not a second passed before his pants were undone and pulled down, leaving him open to his molester who knelt behind him. A rough hand ran down his spine and he began to cry, only to be dealt a sharp slap to the back of his head.  
  
"Time to pay up, bitch."  
  
His pleas turned into a bloodcurdling shriek as the man began the assault on his already broken body.  
  
"Nooo!!!"  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
"NO!"  
  
Wires snapped out of place as he shot up, covered in sweat and breathing harshly, tears streaming down his face. He frantically began to shove away the hands that were trying to keep him down.  
  
"Get off me!! Don't touch me!!"  
  
"Calm down!" a woman's voice spoke.  
  
"No! NO!!"   
  
More needles pulled free from his arms and the sight of his blood only brought on more hysteria.  
  
"Someone please help me!!" he cried, sobbing and shouting at the same time.  
  
"Doctor!" the nurse cried, struggling to keep the teen down before he hurt himself. "DOCTOR!!"  
  
Staff began to pour into the room, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the boy who had been basically dead to the world but a few seconds ago. Pushing his way through the throng, the doctor approached the bed and attempted to aid the nurse, shoving aside the empty stretcher to get more room. Others moved to help but it would seem that the more restrained him, the more aggressive he got.  
  
"We have to sedate him!" another nurse said, holding onto a trashing hand with all his strength.  
  
"No! We can't risk it killing him!"  
  
"If we don't do something he will end up killing himself!"  
  
"Not to mention us!"   
  
Ignoring the shouts, he looked down at the boy. The once brilliant blue eyes were now ghosts of their former selves; pale, the pupil dilated in fear. Tears were streaming down his almost white face as he continued to fight them.  
  
After many minutes of useless restraining, soothing and even some threats, the doctor was about to give in and have the teen sedated when a commotion came from the back of the now crowded room. Staff moved out of the way as a tall, burly figure pushed his way through, spurred on by his captain's cries. Behind him followed a lilac-haired teen who limped badly yet whose face was stern in determination.  
  
"Get off him!" Spencer shouted, having heard Tala's cries from down the hall.  
  
Bryan moved past his friend, pushing away the personnel. Tala again tried to get out of the bed, still caught in past horrors, but his advance was stopped once more, this time by his team mate grabbing him and holding him in a grip/embrace.  
  
"Let me go! Please!"  
  
"Snap out of it! It's me!"  
  
The voice seemed to slice right through his shrouded nightmares and the red-head almost went limp, gasping for breath as he clutched the lilac-haired boy's shirt. Everyone watched anxiously, unsure what to do.  
  
"It's okay, it's only me. I'm here, Tala. Spencer is here too. We won't let anything happen to you," Bryan soothed, stroking the fiery red hair as he whispered softly to the distraught teen. "No one is going to hurt you."  
  
"B-Bryan…?" he blinked, as if coming out of a trance.  
  
"Yeah. It's me," he smiled softly, flinching mentally when the dull eyes lifted to meet his. Eyes that had always gleamed with determination and strength, now scared, if not dead.  
  
Staring into the lilac eyes, Tala felt full awareness finally settle in. Feeling exhausted, he lay against the other's chest, still trying to stifle the soft sobs as he held onto his friend with as much strength as he could gather. Looking over Bryan's shoulder, he studied Spencer.   
  
"Spencer…" he held out a hand. Bryan took the blond's hand and guided it to Tala's where it took hold of the trembling, ivory hand, squeezing gently in comfort. Some of the fear subsided a bit in the dull eyes at the sight of his two team mates.  
  
"Ian?"   
  
"He's okay too. Just can't get out of his bed yet," Bryan informed, still stroking the teen's back as he held him close, in protective fierceness.  
  
"…how's Kai?"  
  
Spencer took a sharp breath and he felt Bryan stiffen at the question. Looking up, he saw Spencer no longer faced him and Bryan refused to look him in the eyes.   
  
"Let the doctor take care of you, Tala."  
  
"Where's Kai?" he persisted, refusing to be laid back down and keeping his eyes on Bryan.  
  
"You had a horrifying ordeal, young man. You need time to recover," the doctor said but he heard none of it.  
  
"Where's Kai?!" he demanded, voice beginning to quiver with dread. This wasn't happening!  
  
"Tala…please…" Bryan begged, knowing the news would surely push the red-head over the edge.  
  
"Where is he?!?"   
  
"Please remain calm, it's not good for your blood pressure--" the doctor tried but his hands were pushed away as Tala refused him.  
  
"WHERE?!?!" he shouted, body trembling along with his voice.  
  
Before Bryan could shush her, a nurse answered.  
  
"He was taken by Voltaire."  
  
The entire world turned silent to his ears. Nothing seemed to move. Nothing seemed to even exist. *He* felt like he didn't exist. Was he even breathing?  
  
What seemed like eternity passed too swiftly and he found himself back in the hospital room, surrounded by doctors and nurses, facing Bryan who watched him with sympathetic eyes.   
  
"Tala…"  
  
While he had first been crying in fear and anger, new tears started to roll down his face. These were of pure and simple despair. Shaking his head softly, he tried to deny it. Tried to tell himself that he heard wrong. He slipped from Bryan's embrace, laying back as a sudden weakness swept over him.  
  
Bryan cursed Boris; cursed his very existence. Cursed the man for what he had done. He wished deaths upon their former trainer that were of the slowest and most painful kinds. He prayed that the man suffered badly before going down to Hell where he belonged.  
  
Accepting the truth for what it was, Tala slowly sat back up, holding out a frail hand which Bryan took and pulled his friend back into a brotherly embrace. Taking hold of the blond's hand, Bryan guided their friend down, allowing their captain to wrap an arm around him too.  
  
Watching the two team mates comfort their captain with soft words, the doctor quietly ushered the others out, sending one of them to check on the fourth member, knowing the boy would want to be with his friends as well.  
  
They were left in silence and with each other.   
  
Bryan continued to rock the red-head, listening to Spencer speak in whispers to Tala, offering hope.   
  
'How…' Bryan wondered, staring out the window at the night sky, 'How did things get so bad…?'  
  
No answer came, only Tala's soft sobs.  
  
  
  
tbc………  
  
**************  
  
For the record; this is *NOT* a yaoi fic (with the exception of m/m rape) so there is no Kai/Tala or Tala/Bryan or whatever type of pairing. They're just *FRIENDS* (seriously).  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	20. chapter twenty

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one.  
  
Warnings: see chapter one.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
****************  
  
They all jumped to their feet when the sound of a car pulling up got their attention.   
  
"Do you think we can trust her?" Tyson whispered to Ray as they followed the adults.  
  
"We don't have a lot of options," the tiger whispered back. "But...if Kai had her number, then she must be on our side."  
  
"But then why did she abandon Kai in the first place?" Max joined in.  
  
He couldn't answer that which was good since they were already outside, approaching the long limo that came to a stop.  
  
Standing in a line along with Bruce, Mr. Granger and Judy, the teens watched with open curiosity and hidden tension as Mr. Dickenson stepped forward.  
  
The driver door opened and a young man stepped out, dressed smartly in a chauffeur uniform, dark hair parted down the middle. Walking around, he reached the back passenger door and took hold of the handle.  
  
Mr. Dickenson turned to offer the teens a hopeful smile before the sound of the door being opened drew his eyes back.  
  
An elegantly gloved hand reached out and accepted the chauffeur's offered one. A large ruby ring sparkled in the afternoon sun. Soon the rest of the arm emerged, followed by its owner as Anne-Marie Hiwatari stepped out of the car.  
  
***************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"What's out there?"  
  
He blinked at the soft voice that had broken the comfortable silence between them. Turning his head to the side, he met the innocent blue eyes that waited for an answer.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Sitting up, the young red-head pointed to the horizon, the sun just rising over the forest, slowly bringing what warmth to the icy lands. The rays quickly spread, the sudden brightness forcing the two young boys on the roof to shield their eyes. The intensity lessened as the sun rose higher, allowing them to lower their arms. It wasn't until then that the bluenette replied.  
  
"More trees and snow."  
  
"And after those?"  
  
"The rest of Russia."  
  
"And after that?" Tala persisted, hugging his knees to his chest.  
  
"The ocean. And then the rest of the world."  
  
"There's a lot..." he concluded, staring at the distance.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"They sound nice. Did you ever go there? To the ocean? And the rest of the world?"  
  
"Some of it," Kai answered, smiling softly when the blue eyes widened.  
  
"Really?!" Tala scooted to sit closer, "What was it like?"  
  
"Different," he answered after a few moments thought, "People were always different. Once, we went to America! We stayed near the ocean and there were very long beaches with white sand, just like snow, only warmer."  
  
"Where else did you go?" he asked, completely absorbed in his blue-haired friend words.  
  
Kai described as much as he could remember; the tall buildings in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, pyramids in South America, castles in England and Norway.   
  
It was all so new to Tala. He would have never imagined all the things hidden beyond the horizon.   
  
"Where did you go?"  
  
"Huh?" he blinked at the question.  
  
"On vacation, where did you go?"  
  
He bit his lower lip.   
  
"I...I've never been anywhere."  
  
"Oh...well...it wasn't really *that* nice. And...and...," Kai tried to make the redhead feel better.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
An arm wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him into a hug. Returning it, Tala smiled at the young bluenette.  
  
"Besides, it's better to be here with you."  
  
Kai smiled back before a mischievous gleam glittered in his eyes. Tala was caught off guard when a handful of snow was suddenly shoved in his face. Yelping at the sudden cold, he jumped back, glaring at the laughing bluenette.   
  
"I'm going to get you for that!"  
  
"You have to catch me first!" Kai shouted, jumping to his feet and running across the roof to the open window. Behind him he heard Tala shout out another threat before the red-head's footsteps followed, chasing his friend back into the dark towers of the Abbey.  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
Opening his eyes, Kai smiled through the pain at the memory.   
  
'What I would give just to see you again, Tala.'  
  
The water around him was tinged pink with blood. Sighing, he looked up at the clock mounted on the wall. More than half an hour had passed and Margaret hadn't returned yet. He felt a surge of concern flow through him but then calmed himself; Voltaire would be very busy with that phone call. Margaret was probably cleaning more than she had told him.  
  
Still, he was getting tired of sitting in the water. Rising, dried himself off, which was rather hard since any form of movement stretched the welts and cuts. He stopped as he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Towel forgotten, he stepped closer, studying the somber teen in the mirror.  
  
His face paint had long been gone. The fire in his eyes had been smothered when Dranzer had been struck. His wild bangs hung limply before them. Voltaire had been right when he said that he had grown thinner; his already slender body having lost more flesh. It wouldn't be long before he could see his ribs clearly. And then there were the marks; blue, red, purple, black; all of them contrasting starkly with his pale skin.  
  
Disgusted, he looked away, grabbing the bathrobe left by Margaret. The soft material felt coarse against his burning skin but he shrugged it on anyways, tying the belt tighter than necessary.  
  
'How much longer? How much more can I take? How much more can he give?'   
  
The last was obvious; a lot.  
  
The brightness of the room was irritating him. Not knowing what he was doing, he walked over to the door and turned the handle only to remember what Margaret had said about staying put. However, to his surprise, the door opened easily. He thought that she had locked it. Opening it further, he hesitated before stepping out into the hall; the first time he had been able to go somewhere on his own since his abduction.  
  
The first thing that came to mind was escape. No one was around and he was no longer confined.  
  
He snorted.  
  
'Right, like that bastard would just leave the front door open.'  
  
Next to the many locks, bolts and chains that were no doubt attached to every door, window and any other exit in the mansion, if he *did* manage to get outside, what then? They were in the middle of no where with nothing but tall mountains and freezing temperature. Without his wounds he may have been able to make it but he didn't stand a chance in his condition.  
  
'And I can't leave Margaret with him.'  
  
Every and any thing that could stop him did. It would be very dumb to risk an escape and more beatings.  
  
Planning on simply returning to his room, he started down the hall but stopped, turning around for some reason. Nothing was behind him with exception of more doors. And the end of the hall...  
  
The carpet completely muted his steps as he walked, eyes fixed on the tall double doors at the end.   
  
Light from the hall filtered into the room as he pushed the heavy doors open, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dark. With the darkness, a strong odor struck him making him take a few steps back, shaking his head to try and clear the smell but it refused to go away. A feeling of uncertain dread swept through his mind but he pushed it away.  
  
Called by something unknown, he slipped inside, closing the doors, shutting off the source of light, plunging the large chamber back into musty blackness.  
  
Without really thinking, he reached out to the left, and found the light switch he knew was there.  
  
Lit, the room was grand; soft carpet, sweeping drapes, immense bed; exactly like in his dreams, memories and nightmares.  
  
His parents' room. The room that had witness love and hate, laugher and tears, comfort and pain. Like his former sleeping quarters, this one had been left in the exact state it had been that night years ago. Everything still laid where they had been left or thrown; his mother's purse still on her nightstand, his father's jacket still hanging over the chair. It was as if they were still in there, living.  
  
Taking small steps, he moved more to the center, eyes studying everything at once only to fall on the bed. The sheets were neatly made but two lumps beneath it looked out of place; something was hiding beneath the silky cloth.  
  
Ignoring the voice in his head that told him to turn around, he moved closer, feeling a strong yet frightening pull.  
  
The distance between him and the bed was soon covered and he found himself standing right next to it, looking down on the clothed objects with some trepidation; what were they? Why did they draw him yet push him away at the same time?  
  
"Kai?"   
  
He heard Margaret opened the bathroom door down the hall but couldn't answer. Instead he lifted a hand and slowly took hold of the corner of the sheet.  
  
"Kai! Where are you?!" Her voice sounded panicky yet distant.   
  
The air around felt thick and he could hear the slightest breeze, eyes only on the bed and its contents.  
  
"Oh God..." she said, no doubt having guessed where he was. He could hear her running, desperately shouting his name, calling him back. But he couldn't do what she begged him.   
  
Gripping the material tighter, he inhaled deeply, the offensive smell as strong as ever.   
  
"No Kai!! Don't!!"  
  
Ignoring the pains and her cries, he kept his eyes on the nearest of the two forms beneath the sheet...  
  
...and pulled the cloth off.  
  
Behind him the door slammed open, echoing loudly through the large hall. Margaret's breath was heavy and she continued to call him.  
  
And he didn't hear anything.  
  
He couldn't hear anything.  
  
All he could do was stare.  
  
Stare at the empty sockets of the grey skull. Stare at the aged bones that were partially hidden by a floral dress. Stare at the ring that was still around a fleshless finger.   
  
A wedding ring.   
  
His mother's wedding ring.   
  
His mother's dress.   
  
His mother's skull.  
  
"Kai..."  
  
Next to the rotten skeleton of his mother was another, larger one, still dressed in long pants and a long, black coat that had shielded him and his mother many times during the cold and the rain. A watch, Rolex, still clung to a bony wrist.   
  
All that remained of Sergey Hiwatari.  
  
His parents.   
  
Their decayed skeletons.   
  
Laid out on their bed in mock peace.   
  
Pinned on a pillow between them was a note, written in Russian; Rot in Peace.  
  
Nausea crashed down upon him and falling to his knees, he began to throw up the little contents in his stomach. Tears poured from his clenched eyes and he sobbed in between vomiting, the sight and smell ravaging his senses.   
  
And, somehow, amidst all of that, he started to scream. Scream in despair and anger and fear, cursing Voltaire off the face of this earth and begging God to end this.   
  
"What did I do?!? WHAT DID *I* EVER DO?!?!" he shouted, clenching his fist as he shouted into space.  
  
"Kai, please--" Margaret tried to get him to his feet but he didn't cooperate.  
  
"KILL ME!! DAMN YOU, WHY DON'T YOU KILL ME TOO!!"  
  
"Don't say that--"  
  
"I HAVE NOTHING!! I LOST EVERYTHING THAT HAD EVER MEANT SOMETHING TO ME!!"  
  
Margaret began to cry, unable to cope with the anguish in his voice.  
  
"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!! NOTHING MATTERS!!! I..." He suddenly slumped forward, feeling weak and light headed.  
  
"I..." he said again, in a hoarse voice, the taste of bile still in his mouth, "I'm too tired...I'm too tired of hurting. I'm too tired of being afraid. I'm too tired of everything..."  
  
Too numb to move, Margaret watched with tearful eyes as he reached out to touch the stiff fabric of his mother's dress, staring at the person he had last seen years ago, alive and frightened as she had tried to save the both of them from the tyrant of the house.  
  
"Let me be with them. Please, I just want to be with them..."  
  
"You can't..."  
  
"They were so strong...and they died so soon." He stared with haunted eyes at his mother's boned face, picturing how beautiful it had been when she was alive. "I am a weakling... and I'm still alive. It's not fair...It's not fair..."  
  
She couldn't think of any thing to say to that so she sat down beside him, placing a hand on a robed shoulder.  
  
"I'm so tired, Margaret…I can't fight him anymore…"  
  
Many minutes passed and the two remained silent; Kai staring at his parents skeletal remains, Margaret staring at her young master, racking her brain for something to say, to assure him, but the weigh of the despair settled on her, suffocating her.  
  
"A lovely family reunion, I see."  
  
She jumped up and turned, glaring at the smug expression on Voltaire's face from where he stood in the doorway.  
  
"Are you going to do anything about it, *whore*?" he spat at her. "It's your own negligence that allowed him the chance to discover them. I had kept this a secret for all these years from him. If anything you've done more damage than I for letting him see this."  
  
Margaret felt her heart clench at the truth behind the words; had she returned in time Kai would never have wandered in here.  
  
"Get our baggage ready, whore; we will be leaving soon."  
  
She didn't move, not wanting to leave him alone with Kai.   
  
Having no doubt foreseen her possible disobedience, he drew a gun out of his coat and aimed it, not at her, but at the teen that still kneeled next to the bed, too gone to pay attention to the happenings behind him.  
  
"As much as I would love to claim the boy when he is mourning, we have no time. He will be safe, for now. Follow my orders unless you want me to complete the family morgue."  
  
Looking back at Kai, she dried her tears and nodded numbly. What else could she do? With a parting prayer to the boy, she slowly walked out, nervously passing the master of the house but he didn't do anything, eyes fixed on his grandson.  
  
Once she was gone he moved, coming to stand next to where Kai still knelt next to the bed. The elder tsk-tsk'ed as he stared down with twisted pride at what used to be his daughter-in-law and son.  
  
"Ever wondered why the court was never able to sentence me after they suspected me to be their killer? Their bodies were never found."  
  
Kai didn't respond, his hand hesitantly touching the remains of his mother's own, running the tips of his finger over the golden charm bracelet that once chimed as she moved, now silent where it still clung on her wrist, resting on the sheets.  
  
"Your father was rather disappointing, though I never expected much from him. A single bullet to his spine had immobilized where he had been walking to the car. I let him writhe in agony for many minutes. He finally stopped moving, though his eyes had remained on me, glaring as blood dribbled from his mouth. I would have delayed his much deserved death, but it was rather cold outside, so I emptied two rounds in both eyes."  
  
The words rang through his ears, echoing over and over as the vision formed in his mind; his father lying in a pool of his own blood in the driveway, freezing to death, the last thing he saw his own father's smirking leer.   
  
Subconsciously, he started to hum softly, to himself. Something, anything that could remind him of the two people he had loved so much when his days had been bright. The song was something his mother had invented just for him, a tune she would soothe him with. How he wished she was the one singing it now.  
  
Voltaire grinned when he heard the lullaby.  
  
"She used to sing so well, didn't she? Her voice certainly wasn't as graceful when I had my hands wrapped around her throat. She had cried like an injured bitch. Crying for you, coming to think of it. A quick twist of my wrists and her neck had snapped cleanly."  
  
He didn't stop humming, rocking gently; something his mother used to do while she had held him. Raising a hand, he tried to touch a high cheekbone but a coarse hand grabbed his and he was roughly yanked to his feet.  
  
"But enough pleasantries, there is much to do."  
  
Kai didn't respond, eyes fixed on the piles of bones. His hand gripped his mother's wrist, feeling the coldness of the bracelet.  
  
It was hopeless…  
  
"I said come here, boy."  
  
Nothing was worth fighting for…  
  
"Kai," Voltaire snapped, losing patience.  
  
It was time to accept…  
  
Voltaire was about to physically haul the boy away when Kai stood slowly. A few seconds passed as the boy kept staring at the corpses before he turned to face his grandfather. There was nothing. The phoenix's face had always been indifferent, but now so were his eyes. There wasn't any anger or despair, pain or suffering, lost or defeat. Simply…blank.   
  
"Good boy."  
  
He had finally committed the perfect crime;   
  
Without any evidence or weapon, he had killed another soul.  
  
tbc..............  
  
*************  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	21. chapter twentyone

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: Most of this chapter had already been written but the Anne-Marie scene in the middle was really giving me a hard time because I (being the person I am) hadn't really thought through Anne-Marie's story so I had to spend some time thinking up a history for her.  
  
Keep in mind to read the re-written chapters up until now because things have been changed and the chapters to come will be based off of these changes.  
  
******************************  
  
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
He looked over to the bluenette for help but Kai could only shrug helplessly.   
  
Lowering his eyes, he answered the others question.  
  
"I don't have one."  
  
Light purple eyes blinked in surprise.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"No one ever gave me one."  
  
"Oh..." The pale boy frowned slightly. He grinned, however, when a thought came to his head.  
  
"We'll give you a name!"  
  
All four looked at him, surprised.  
  
"I don't think that's how it works, Bryan," Ian pointed out, absently playing with his rifle-launcher. "Shouldn't his parents do that?"  
  
"I wouldn't mind..." the newcomer said softly, still not meeting their eyes from where he stood next to Kai, not daring to stray from the bluenette even though the others looked friendly enough.  
  
"It isn't going to kill anyone," Bryan argued, turning to Spencer who sat on a log next to Ian. "Right, Spence?"  
  
"Bryan's right. Besides, it will be easier if we can call him by a name."  
  
"Kai?" the lilac-haired blader turned to their leader.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Cool. Now, what are we gonna call you...? What do you wanna be called?"  
  
He shrugged wordlessly.  
  
"How about Jordi?" Spencer offered.  
  
"Nah, there's like 20 of those in the Abbey already! Something else."  
  
"Ivan?"  
  
"Sound too much like Ian; we'll get confused!"  
  
Watching as the three friends discussed possible names, he couldn't help smiling slightly. He liked them. Crimson eyes met his as he tapped Kai's shoulder slightly.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
An equally soft smile graced the normally placid face.  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Okay! We got one!" Ian announced, getting their attention.  
  
"How about Tala?" Bryan asked, the other two eagerly awaiting his decision.  
  
"Tala?" he repeated softly.   
  
He liked it. It wasn't a name he had heard before but something about it sounded really...nice.  
  
"Watcha think?" Bryan asked expectantly when the shy red-head didn't respond quickly enough.  
  
"It sounds really neat."   
  
Beside him Kai nodded his silent agreement.  
  
"Then it's official; your name is Tala!" Bryan announced. Standing, the lilac-eyed blader walked over and held out a hand.  
  
"Pals?"  
  
He smiled, blushing slightly as he accepted it.  
  
"Pals."  
  
"Great! Wanna beyblade?"  
  
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*  
  
The cheerful voices still sounded in his mind as he slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the brightness once more. His skin still stung from the many small cuts left by the ripping of infuses, new needles having been placed to keep him monitored at all times.  
  
Soft, warm air blew on his arm and he looked down to find lilac hair.   
  
Bryan was asleep, sitting in a chair next to the bed with his arms resting on the mattress, head laying on them as he breathed softly.  
  
For many minutes he studied his friend, remembering the first time they had met.   
  
People would never believe him if he told them but, of the three bladers Kai had introduce him to when they were still kids, Bryan had immediately befriended him. The light purple eyes had sparkled as the boy, much more cheerful before years of harsh training had drained most, if not all of his childhood enthusiasm, had offered to teach him all about beyblading, explaining the importance of offence and defence and everything in between with a passion for the sport that could only be natural. At the time Tala had had very little of knowledge of beyblading but had been drawn more to the charismatic boy than his words.  
  
Years had passed since he had joined their small but close group. And through the years it was he, of the five, who was the one the rest always protected. Even when he became their captain and a proven lethal blader, his team mates always kept an eye on him, looking out for him.   
  
Bryan in particular was protective in a rather dangerous way, never hesitating to take on any of the other students if they tried to pick on the quiet red-head. The regular fights were what had given the scientists the idea to train Bryan to become an emotionless fighter. There had been times when their violet-eyed friend would disappear for weeks, even months, for extensive training. And while it had worked for the most part, Bryan had never shut out his friends and still felt for them. Still...  
  
'If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't have fought, and they wouldn't have chosen you for the experiment...If I hadn't been there...'  
  
Crimson eyes, tearful in betrayal, stared at him in his mind.  
  
'Kai wouldn't be with Voltaire if it hadn't been for me...He should be with his team, with his *real* friends...Instead he came for me...worried for me...'  
  
"You're up."  
  
Tala snapped out of reverie at Bryan's voice. The teen still kept his arms folded on the bed but his eyes were open and alert, locked on his.   
  
Not responding he returned the stare.  
  
"How do you feel?"   
  
Again, he didn't answer, only looked at his friend.  
  
"Yeah, stupid question," the Bryan sighed, rubbing his eyes. "The police are doing the best they can to find Kai. Every unit in--"  
  
"How's your leg?" Tala suddenly asked softly.  
  
The abrupt change of subject confused Bryan. Tala had almost had a stroke when the truth had been revealed and now he pretended that nothing had happened?  
  
Still, not wanting to make things even more complicated, he accepted the question.  
  
"Nurses aren't hassling me to stay in bed as much as before, so I guess that means it's getting better."  
  
"That's good to hear. Where's Spencer?"  
  
"Surgery. A specialist from Austria flew in last night. They started an hour ago."  
  
Before he could ask about Ian, the door opened and both turned as a nurse stepped in, smiling to find them both there.  
  
"You have a visitor," she informed.  
  
Bryan smirked as she gently rolled in a wheelchair.  
  
"What did you do? Nag them into submission?"  
  
"Drop dead, Bryan," Ian muttered, obviously annoyed with the fact that he needed help getting around. His sneer was quickly forgotten though when he saw that Tala was up.  
  
"Hey, how are you feeling?"  
  
Bryan was about to cover for him but Tala offered their small friend a ghost of a smile, not wanting to worry him.   
  
'At least one of us should recover in peace.'  
  
"I've felt better," he admitted.  
  
The nurse wheeled the Wyborg blader next to Bryan's chair before leaving the three to talk, closing the door behind her.  
  
For a moment Tala blanked out, watching as Ian and Spencer engaged in what seemed to be a continuing banter. He didn't hear the words, just watched his friends. Ian's legs weren't damaged but a heavy bandage was wrapped around his head, suggesting that his head injuries were more serious than what the nurse told them, so much that they didn't want Ian to be walking, afraid that he may jar his injuries. Also, his arm had a heavy cast fitted securely around it, forcing the bones to mend.  
  
Through his observations he heard his name and blinked. Ian and Bryan were watching him worriedly.  
  
"I'm fine," he assured, only then feeling something wet on his cheeks; he was crying, and hadn't even noticed it.  
  
"Sorry," he said softly, wiping the tears away quickly.   
  
"Kai's tough, Tala," Ian insisted, getting straight to the point. Of the five he was always the one to be rather blunt though now he minded his words for the sake of his friends. "Since he first came to the Abbey he took everything they could dish out at him and threw it back in their faces. He won't let someone like Voltaire get to him. He'll make it out alright."  
  
"He'll make it out..." Tala repeated softly to himself.  
  
"Yeah," Bryan confirmed, "and when he does, he will be stronger than before."  
  
"We all will be," Ian finished, looking pointedly at Tala. The small smile the red-head granted him was enough to make him ignore the throbbing sting in his head; damn medications.  
  
The three sat in comfortable silence for a while until Tala spoke, his question catching the others off-guard.  
  
"What happened to Boris?"  
  
Ian and Bryan exchanged unsure glances, both not wanting to upset the red-head even though it had been Tala who brought the subject up.  
  
"I know what you are thinking but...you yourself said we have to be stronger. And...I guess for me the first thing to do is face the truth," he explained. "All I remember seeing was his face looking down at me while... The rest is just a blank."  
  
Still hesitating, Bryan eventually spoke up.  
  
"He's in jail. Police are using him to try and get information on Voltaire, but he's not talking. His trial should be starting soon though everyone is saying that he will get the death sentence almost surely, if not he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars."  
  
"That bastard deserves worse," Ian muttered but kept otherwise his thoughts to himself. Absently, he rubbed his head gingerly as the slight sting that had been there since morning now persisted.  
  
"Even if he dies he'll always be in my mind," Tala admitted. "He's there with the others. All the people who have haunted me. Everytime I try to rest... Where's Wolborg?"   
  
The change of topic made them blink, Bryan for a second time.  
  
"Huh?" Ian asked.  
  
"I remember Wolborg. I remember, through my nightmares, feeling him next to me. I called him. Why isn't he here?"  
  
"He's okay," Bryan quickly reassured, not wanting his friend to suffer another seizure. "He was here. For five days. Made quite an entrance, or so I heard. Guess the blade forced him to return when his energy ran out. He's lucky he's a man-made bit beast; he has to return when the blade calls him. Otherwise he would have stayed out until he faded away. He'll be back though, especially now that you're awake."  
  
A knock came, followed by the nurse poking her head around the door.  
  
"It's time to turn-in. *All* of you," she stressed, meeting Bryan's eyes. He had talked her into letting him stay over one night. "You can come back tomorrow morning."  
  
"Any word on Spencer?" Ian asked as she walked over to wheel him out.  
  
"No, but so far the surgery has not met any complications. We will know more by tomorrow."  
  
Bryan hesitated with rising but his body actually longed to lie down on his bed. Taking Tala's hand, he gripped it tightly and offered the teen a fraction of a smile.   
  
"Hang in there. The food isn't as bad as they say it is."  
  
The comment actually brought a soft smile to his face and he nodded, returning the grip.  
  
"See you later," Ian reached out to pat his arm before allowing the nurse to wheel him away, Bryan walking beside her, using a walking stick to ease the pressure off his healing leg, as he and Ian started up another light-hearted argument.  
  
Soon the room was quiet once more and he turned to stare blankly up at the roof, seeing nothing but crimson eyes that lingered in his mind. Soon he felt the tears return but this time he didn't wipe them away; what was the use?   
  
As long as Kai was gone, they were all he had.  
  
******************  
  
"I never knew…"  
  
The elderly woman fell silent, her light green eyes fixed on the long white scarf she held in her lap, her fingers rubbing the soft material in a calming way.  
  
"All this time...All this time I thought that he was dead…"  
  
From where he sat with the Bladebreakers, Ray watched the woman with sympathetic eyes.   
  
Soft spoken and kind with an air of nobility about her, their target's ex-wife was a woman of high class; a daughter of a British duke and duchess. Upon arrival she had carried herself with a poise that spoke of her upbringing.  
  
Snow-white hair was swept up in a high bun, held in place by oriental clips. She was older than Mr Dickenson and her face held the lines of age, particularly around her eyes, though they didn't take away any of her former beauty. She was a small lady, maybe an inch or so taller than Ray and very slender, her glamorous yet at the same time comfortable robe-like gown reaching the floor as she walk and now pooled around her as she sat.  
  
"Forgive me if this question is too personal, Mrs Hiwatari--"   
  
"Anne-Marie, please. I've long stopped carrying that name."   
  
"Of course," Mr Dickenson said, "Anne-Marie, did you know of Voltaire's relationship with your grandson?"  
  
"I knew nothing. I had already left him before Kai was even born. The man was violent and there were times when I had to hire security in our own home because I was afraid of him. He had changed so much after our marriage, nothing like the gentleman I had first met. Sometimes I think that it had all been an act, his kindness. But he was never satisfied with anything. He had cheated on me many of times but always denied it. When our son, Sergey, was born he had been so proud, boasting that the Hiwatari line would be strengthened. But our son wanted to plan his own future, not be his father's shadow. When he became engaged to Vivian his father shunned him, calling him a lost cause and waste of his time; Voltaire for some reason never liked Vivian though I found her a wonderful young lady."  
  
She dabbed gently at the corner of her eyes with a tissue.  
  
"After their marriage Voltaire was irate. He fired all the security guards and would strike out often at me or one of the servants. One was even critically injured and died a few days later. Her body was buried by the others under Voltaire's orders. I was scared. I didn't dare inform the officials; he had threatened me with my life if I tried. I didn't know what else to do. It was Sergey who convinced me to leave. So I did. I left him and after paying hundreds of dollars I managed to get a divorce, despite his protest against it.  
  
"Our son arranged a new home for me in South America. He often worried about me, you know. Once out of Russia, I had cut off any connection with Voltaire. I begged Sergey and Vivian to come with me; I was afraid for their lives but they assured me that they were capable of taking care of themselves."  
  
She raised her head to watch them all, her tears softening their faces and hearts.  
  
"I never even saw my grandson in person. I received a letter from Sergey after the birth along with a picture." She opened her purse and took out a photo, handing it to Mr Dickenson. "I carry it around with me everywhere. It's the closest I have ever been to Kai."  
  
A small family of three smiled back at them form the photo. A handsome man with spiked blue hair with a small ponytail at the back sat with both arms around a young woman whose long silvery hair was left loose, framing her weary but happy face. She was lying on a bed, her arms holding a small bundle wrapped in cloth. A small head with slightly curly, blue/slate hair peeked out of the blanket along with big, scarlet eyes. A tiny hand held onto his mother's finger.  
  
"Sergey forbade me to return to Russia for my own sake. He promised me that they would come visit me when they could. When Kai was five years old they sent me a letter saying that they were coming but that they first had some business to deal with. Had I known they were going to Voltaire I would have stopped them with everything in my power."  
  
"And when it was too late you had thought that there was nothing you could do," Bruce concluded.  
  
"They never came. A few days later I received a letter that stated that all three of them were missing and that Voltaire claimed that they had never reached his home. It was then that I knew he had killed them. Had I known that Kai was still alive then I would have risked everything to get him away from his grandfather…If I had only known…"  
  
"But didn't you see or hear about Kai afterwards? I mean, the beyblade tournaments are always broadcasted on TV," Tyson pointed out.  
  
"I can honestly say that I myself do not know the answer to that. I had just isolated myself so much from everything. I don't even know if I read the newspaper or watched any television. I hid myself from him, fearing that he would find me next."  
  
Ray showed the black casing he had idly been playing with.   
  
"How is it then that Kai had your phone number?"  
  
"I can only assume that his father had given it to him before he had been killed. That casing once belonged to me before I gave it to Vivian as a gift. I had entrusted them with the phone number of my house phone."  
  
Again they fell silent, processing what they had just learned.  
  
"I am truly sorry you had to learn about this the hard way, Anne-Marie," Mr Dickenson said. "All these years you thought Kai to be dead and to then find him again alive but in a life-threatening circumstance is something I know is hurting you. And I'll understand if you do not wish to get involved. But your help would be very much appreciated."  
  
"I will help you, despite what I feel. I owe this much to Kai. I want to at least see him once and let him know that he has a relative who loves him the way he should be loved."  
  
Ray released a breath of relief. Things were finally going to come together.  
  
"We thank you. Now if you--"  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr Dickenson, but…I would really love to see Kai; a picture of him or something. I…I never got to see him grow and to now know that he lives, I wish to see my grandson."  
  
"Oh…I fear I don't have any photos with me at the moment," Mr Dickenson apologised.  
  
"I do," Kenny spoke for the first time, blushing when all eyes turned on him. "I keep a few pictures of the team on my laptop. If you want I can show you, ma'am."  
  
She smiled at the small boy.  
  
"I would really love that, young man."  
  
Placing Dizzy on the table, Kenny entered a few passwords and codes and before long there was a beep and the file opened. It was a picture that had been taken after the American tournament. Tyson and Max were kneeling on the ground, grinning goofily. Kenny knelt next to them, smiling shyly. Behind them, Ray stood on the left, arms crossed and smiling with the boy next to him who smirked back.  
  
Anne-Marie's eyes began to water slowly as she studied Kai.  
  
"He looks just like his father…but he had his mother's eyes…"  
  
They all shared looks above her head, understanding just how much this woman had been deprived of.  
  
"He is so perfect…" She reached out with a hand as if to touch the screen but then stopped. Sniffing softly, she looked away, unable to look any more. Kenny closed his laptop.  
  
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean to make you upset…"  
  
"I'm not. I've never felt as happy as I do now. I will not rest until Kai is with me. I will not let Voltaire take away another member of this family. I won't…"  
  
"Then we'd best get started. There's a lot to do be done," Mr Dickenson said.   
  
***************  
  
Sniffing softly, Margaret finished making the bed, tucking in the sides neatly. This done, she straightened and looked around the room.  
  
It was so different from when she had first seen it a decade ago. Then it had been bright and alive with its occupants' toys and treasures. Now it looked so bare and deserted, the evening skies outside casting a dim gloom through the tall windows.  
  
Downstairs she heard a door slam shut and she knew it was time to go. Heading for the door, she stopped when something glimmered in the low moon light. She knelt down and picked up the lonely object, her fingers trembling as the cold metal touched it.  
  
Simply staring at the small bit, she shook her head and placed it in the front pouch of her uniform. She didn't look back at the room that had witnessed so much suffering for so long, flicking the lights off and leaving it in complete darkness.  
  
The halls seemed to mock her retreat, chasing her out of a place where she didn't belong. But instead of retreating to the stairs, she determinedly made her way to the tall double doors at the end.  
  
The air of the dead swept over her for a second time but she refused to let it affect her. Coming to stand next to the bed and its deceased, she carefully pulled back the sheets, exposing the late Hiwatari's.  
  
Silently, she knelt down and every tenderly removed the golden charm bracelet from the nearest skeleton before walking around the bed to remove the heavy Rolex from the other. That done, she stared at the taunting 'Rot in Peace' not before pulling that off too, tearing it to shreds and allowing the pieces to flutter to the floor.  
  
"May you now be at peace," she whispered and respectfully pulled the sheet back up to cover the remains.   
  
Nothing stirred but for the small shreds of paper as she closed the large doors for the last time.  
  
Reaching the first floor she faltered as the lone figure came in sight, standing silently before the opened front doors, staring at the mountain range that loomed in the not so far distance.  
  
"Kai?" She quickly made her way to him. "Kai, are you okay?"  
  
He didn't even seem to hear her, continuing to stare outside. At the close range she could hear a soft sound; humming. The same lullaby melody sounded haunted as he continued to sing to himself, his lips moving ever so slightly as he would sometimes sing the words.  
  
Blinking back tears, she reached out and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't even notice her but she continued, praying that somewhere behind the stoic face he could feel her.  
  
"Woman."  
  
Voltaire stood in the parlour and flicked his cane.  
  
"Bring him. Our ride is here."  
  
Their ride turned out to be a helicopter that awaited them in the immense back yard. The pilot, a stern looking man, bowed as the three neared; Voltaire leading the way while Margaret followed, her arm wrapped around Kai to guide him as he seemed oblivious to what was going on.  
  
"Get in," Voltaire ordered, taking Kai from her.   
  
Faced with two men, the pilot was also wearing a gun, she had no choice but to do just that. Kai was then lifted by the pilot into the chopper and she quickly pulled the teen to sit next to her, adjusting his seatbelt and wrapping both arms around him and continued to stroke his hair as he continued to hum uninterruptedly.  
  
Voltaire climbed in and for a moment he looked as if he was about to take the boy from her but then he smirked and sat down opposite the two.  
  
The blades spun to life and soon she felt them lift off, hovering for a few seconds before gaining altitude and soaring high. Looking out the window, she could still make out the dark silhouette of the mansion nestled in the mountains.  
  
"You can run all you want, my lord Voltaire, but you can't run forever."  
  
He laughed at her words, polishing the silver grip of his cane.  
  
"Woman, I won't be running anymore. That mansion had been merely a pause-point in my plan; just a place where I could tie up last minute things. Once Kai and I have reached our destination we will remain there."  
  
"The officials will find that mansion. They will find the bodies of your son and daughter-in-law. They will find evidence that Kai had been there. They will find enough to be able to track you down. No matter how well you plan, you always miss something."  
  
"Well then, it is a good thing I have a fool-proof solution that will destroy any such evidence."  
  
With a flick of his thumb the silver head of his cane clicked open, revealing a single black button. Smirking haughtily at the bemused woman, he looked out the window at the house now far below them.  
  
"It took a team of 200 men fourteen months to build that house. Ironic that I can demolish it with one single finger in mere seconds."  
  
Margaret was just able to grab Kai as he pressed the button, setting off the hundreds of pounds of explosives he had left behind.   
  
The mountains seemed to crumble as a massive blast shook their very foundations. A gigantic ball of fire billowed up from amidst their peaks, the smoke blacker than the night sky. Though they were safely out of its reach, the shock wave rocked the chopper and Margaret hugged the teen to her, fearing the force of the explosion was enough to knock them out of the air.  
  
As suddenly as it had started, the chaos was over, leaving nothing but a hundred meter deep crater where the house had once been; a deep pit of burning debris and ink-black smoke.  
  
Her ears still ringing from the blast, Margaret slowly released the teen though not completely, staring with wide eyes at the destruction.  
  
"There, problem solved," Voltaire grinned.  
  
Kai hadn't notice any of it, still humming as he allowed the woman to hold him, his only reaction to her was his hand which held onto hers though this went unnoticed by both adults.  
  
"Bastard…" Margaret whispered to the elder Hiwatari.   
  
"Yes, you've called me that before," he waved her off, sounding bored. "Now that the house has been taking care of there's just one more stop we have to make near the cliffs overlooking the ocean before we can reach our destination."  
  
"Another stop? Why?"   
  
His almost maniacal grin returned at that.  
  
"You've seemed not to have taken notice to what I had said earlier. Once *Kai* and *I* reach our destination we will remain there. Who ever said that you'll still be with us till then?"  
  
Her eyes widened and so did his grin.  
  
"I always get rid of *all* evidence, my dear Margaret. *All* evidence…"  
  
Pushing the looming end out of her mind, she could only pull Kai closer, resting her head on his soft hair as she stared out the window at the plume of smoke that was quickly fading from view as the chopper began its journey to *her* final destination.  
  
Tbc…..  
  
***************  
  
Okay, this ended up much longer than expected but I felt that the last part with Kai, Voltaire and Margaret had to be added.   
  
I did this because I feel that the story is dragging and needs to reach an end soon. Don't worry, I'm not going to rush these last chapters but there's still a lot that has to happen and it's about time I start to get them done.  
  
Also, please check my bio page for some interesting announcements!  
  
Read & Review, please. 


	22. chapter twentytwo

Title: Resurfacing  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
Rating: R  
Summary: see chapter one  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable character belongs solely to me and is not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: Ladya blinks disoriented Could it be….YES!!!!!!!!! A FREAKING UPDATE!!!!!!!! After having waited for almost two agonizing months to get internet at our new place, I am once again connected to the rest of the world!!!

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

The all white BBA helicopter roared through the sky followed by half a dozen smaller choppers filled with armed forces. The ground and mountains moved swiftly far below as they raced against time and hope.  
  
Inside the cabin, Mr. Dickenson sat resolutely, deep in thoughts as he sorted through the plan of action. Even now he thanked God for sending them Anne-Marie because without her they would still be in Moscow, searching blindly for something they knew nothing off.  
  
Upon being informed of the speculated ten hour flight, the elderly lady had immediately pointed to Magadan, a city in north-eastern Russia nestled in mountainous terrain.  
  
"We had lived there for the first half of our marriage before moving," she had informed the team of searchers that had crowded around her. "He must have taken Kai there. But I doubt he is still there."  
  
"Why not?" Bruce had asked.  
  
"After we left it became mainly a…stop-point for him. He had never liked the location and usually only used it to rest during long plane rides that took him along that route."  
  
"So he's probably gone now. We have no idea where they are once again," Judy had sighed wearily.  
  
"He'll travel alongside the coast of Russia into India."  
  
Everyone had perked up at this but Anne-Marie's eyes remained on the map, tracing the route with a thin finger, finally stopping and tapping on a city.  
  
"Here. He has another home located in the jungles of this area. It once served as our honeymoon escape."  
  
"That's pure jungle terrain. Which means that they will use a helicopter all the way," Judy commented.  
  
"No chopper can fly the entire distance without refueling. They will have to stop some time, along the coast to refuel."  
  
"But how do we know they aren't already at the estate in India? They've been missing for weeks; Voltaire could have relocated them at any time. How do we now where to look?"  
  
Everyone had started talking at once, arguing the different aspects.  
  
"Um…people?"  
  
One of the computer technicians got their attention and everyone turned, other people stopping in their work to see what was going on. The man who had spoken cleared his voice, looking somewhat bemused as he motioned to the large monitors behind him.  
  
"We've just picked this up on the frequency. Either that's a new volcano, or we've found the estate…or what's left of it."  
  
A large crater had hollowed out the once snow-topped mountains. Smoke was still rising from the burning mass, melting the ice whose water had extinguished most of the flames. Several small dots were moving through the rubble; local law enforcement officials who had arrived already.  
  
"Oh my! That's it!" Anne-Marie had gasped, a hand covering her mouth, eyes wide at the madness of her former partner.  
  
"When did this happen?" Mr. Dickenson had asked, pushing his way through the gathered crowd to get a better view of the screen.  
  
"The local law enforcement said that there was a colossal explosion on the top of the mountain at 8.24 p.m."  
  
"That was less than an hour ago," Bruce had said, checking his watch. Turning to Mr. Dickenson, he said, "Voltaire could have left a time bomb there weeks ago. But…what if…"  
  
"It was detonated by hand," he finished, rubbing his chin. The entire room fell silent as they awaited his decision.  
  
"Send a team ahead to India. We're going to follow the coast line. Have the aviators chart out the quickest route based off the amount of time they have ahead of us. Gather the teams and have the choppers ready on the double!"  
  
The crowd scattered; the mechanics and officials went to ready the choppers, search experts began to calculate their target's estimated location while communicators began relaying the news to the search teams scattered throughout Russia.  
  
"Do you think that we've found them?" Anne-Marie asked softly, coming to stand next to them.   
  
Judy smiled encouragingly at the elder woman.  
  
"We're the closest now than we've been since this all started. You have been a great help to us."  
  
"I just want my grandson to be alright…" she had said sadly, running her hand over the soft scarf she had not let go of once. "That's all that matters to me…"  
  
'It's all that matters to us too…' Mr. Dickenson now thought, looking out the window as they continued down the route the experts had drawn out for them, pushing the flying machines to the limit as they flew at over 200 miles an hour.  
  
They had been flying for hours. Night had worn on and now dawn was coming. The sun already peeked over the land as it rose.  
  
"I hope this will be the last sunrise this search will have to witness," Bruce said from where he sat opposite the elder, almost reading his mind. "By this time tomorrow Voltaire should be behind bars."  
  
"Don't get your hopes up. We are following a strong but still a simple speculation."  
  
"Not this time, sir. We will find them today." He turned serious eyes to him. "I can feel it."  
  
"We will find them today…But in what condition?" he countered softly.  
  
Bruce didn't answer, fearing the same. Falling silent, he returned to staring out the window as one of the smaller choppers flew next to then, the winds whistling over the mechanical guns that were loaded and ready for use should the occasion be called.  
  
'Let's pray it won't come to that.' 

ooooo begin flashback ooooo  
  
"Gone?"  
  
"Kai had to leave early this morning. He has been injured very badly in the explosion and needs medical treatment."  
  
The young redhead listened with mixed emotions.  
  
"W-When will he come back, sir?"  
  
Boris couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he answered.  
  
"He isn't coming back. At least, not for a very long time."  
  
His smirk only grew more at the defeated slump of the slender shoulders.  
  
"Can I go to him?" Tala asked hopefully.  
  
"I'm afraid not." A devious idea came to mind. "He said that he didn't want to see you again."  
  
The words made him gasp before shaking his head.  
  
"I'm his friend. He wouldn't say something like that!"  
  
"Young Kai had been very upset that you weren't there when he needed you the most. I tried to make him change his mind but he returned to Japan with his grandfather anyways." He was really enjoying playing this game with the emotionally fragile child.  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"Am I? Then why did he leave without saying goodbye?"  
  
He couldn't answer that. And it scared him. Was Boris telling the truth? Did Kai…hate him?  
  
"He is my friend…He wouldn't…"  
  
"He isn't…and he did."  
  
A hand lifted his chin, the thumb wiping the tears away. Staring into the bright blue eyes, he couldn't resist and leaned forward, capturing the lips before the boy could pull away. The thrill quickly manifested itself and he began to tug at the redhead's clothes, running his hands under the shirt.  
  
He was taken off guard when a small fist connected with his cheekbone as Tala pulled away, freeing himself from the man's groping hands.  
  
"Liar! You're a liar!"  
  
"You ingrate…" Boris growled, rubbing the now red spot on his face. "You dare hit me?"  
  
"You hit me more! You hurt me! I hate you! I HATE YOU!! You don't care about me! You're just like the others! You only use me!" Tala screamed, angry tears streaming down his face. "You lie! You always lie! Only lies!!"  
  
Snarling, he grabbed the ranting boy, shaking him viciously.  
  
"And what are you going to do about it?!"  
  
"Let me go! Leave me alone!!" He fought savagely, scratching the man as he tried to break free. "I don't want to be here anymore! I want Kai!!"  
  
"We all can't have what we want," Boris taunted, grabbing the slender throat and forcing the child to meet his eyes as his thumb placed more and more pressure on the air pipe, slowly cutting off the oxygen supply. "Coming from a background such as yours I'd assume that you would know that by now."  
  
"I want…gasp to…leave…" he sobbed, defeated but still clinging for a miracle that never came. "Why w-won't you gasp let…me…go…?"   
  
The blue eyes rolled back, his body going limp in the director's arms.  
  
"Because I always get what I want. I make sure I do."  
  
That was the last thing he heard as hands hungrily finished removing the remaining clothing before he passed out.  
  
ooo hours later ooo  
  
He woke up to soft voices that hushed when they realized he was coming to.  
  
"Tala?"  
  
Turning his head, he opened his eyes to meet pale violet ones.  
  
"B-B…"  
  
"Yeah, it's me," Bryan assured, helping the redhead sit up and allowing him to lean against him for support.   
  
"Here."  
  
A cup of water was placed in his hand which he accepted gratefully, thankful for something to wash the horrible taste out of his mouth. Finishing it, he handed it back to Ian who placed it on the table next to the bed.   
  
He didn't have to ask them what had happened; his body reported to him exactly what it had been through after he had passed out. No doubt they had figured it out too so there was no point on dwelling on that.  
  
"K…K-Kai's gone…"  
  
The other three shared remorseful looks before Bryan answered.  
  
"We know, Tala. Boris told us this morning."  
  
"Why didn't Kai say goodbye? Does he hate me that much?"  
  
"Don't believe what Boris said!" Bryan admonished, shaking his head. "You're Kai's best friend!"  
  
"So why did he leave then?"  
  
"He didn't have a choice. Boris and Voltaire made him," Spencer said for the first time from where he sat at the foot of the bed, behind Ian.   
  
"I want him back…I miss him already…I…I'm scared…"  
  
"We all are..."  
  
Raising his eyes, he studied his three remaining friends, realizing for the first time that Kai's departure was affecting them just as much as him and yet here he was acting as if his feelings were the only ones that mattered. And they allowed him, unselfishly comforting him while they themselves were just as sad and scared.  
  
"I'm sorry, guys," he apologized softly. "I didn't think…"  
  
Unable to say anything else, he pulled Bryan into a deep embrace. The lilac-haired blader looked surprised for a moment before returning it. Ian and Spencer received similar treatment, both accepting the gesture.  
  
Sitting back, Ian looked at his friends.  
  
"So…what now?"  
  
The question was directed to Tala since both Spencer and Bryan turned to him too.  
  
"Boris said that you're the team captain now," Bryan informed the bemused boy.  
  
Swallowing, Tala thought for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Boris is lying. Kai will come back someday. I know he will. And until then…Kai wanted us to be the best. That was his dream; that we would all become the strongest bladers in the world…" He met their eyes with a new determination. "I want to make his dream come true."  
  
Taking out Wolborg, he held the blue blade out at arm's length.  
  
"For Kai?"  
  
Bryan mimicked his actions; Falborg's bit gleaming in the light.  
  
"For Kai."  
  
Sharing identical looks of determination, Ian and Spender joined in.  
  
"For Kai."  
  
Smiling softly, Tala looked out the window high above them. It was early dawn and the skies were a soft red…crimson…  
  
"One day, Kai…One day we can live your dream side-by-side…"  
  
ooooo end flashback ooooo  
  
A soft knock broke through his thoughts. The door opened slightly.  
  
"Tala?"   
  
The voice was vaguely familiar but unexpected and he turned to meet the golden eyes that peeked around the partially opened door.  
  
"Hey, you're up," Ray smiled softly before admitting himself in. "The nurses said that you were probably asleep but said it wouldn't hurt if I came to check. I would have left if you were but I really wanted to…" He caught on to his rambling and shook his head.   
  
"Sorry."  
  
He regarded the neko-jin half-curiously, half-anxiously. What was the Drigger blader doing here? Were the rest of the Bladebreakers here too?  
  
"The guys are at the police department," Ray said as if having read his thoughts. "They wanted to be there for the latest news in the operation. Mr. Dickenson told me that you recovered enough so I thought I'd come by."  
  
Tala had still to speak, only watching as the other teen took seat in the chair Bryan normally occupied. A silence fell between them for a long while before Ray cleared his throat.  
  
"If you want I can leave. I just…"  
  
Tala merely shook his head softly.  
  
"I'm just…surprised to see you here. Our teams didn't part on the best of terms…" he finally admitted.  
  
"Even then, everyone was very worried about you guys."  
  
"Everyone…?" he asked, confused.  
  
"The Bladebreakers, the other teams, Mr. Dickenson and the other adults; most came to visit you. The teams who left still keep in touch every day to check up on your recovery and on…" he trailed off, leaving Tala to pretty much guess the rest.  
  
"Thanks, for caring after all we did to you," he said.  
  
"We owe you an apology. We never knew just how hard it was for you guys and we were too shallow to even try to see past it all. If it wasn't for Kai we still wouldn't have known."  
  
"Please…don't mention him…"  
  
Ray was taken back. Did he just hear correctly? Had Tala just said that? Kai's closest friend didn't even seem to care about him anymore?  
  
"It's not like that."  
  
Ghostly eyes stared at him, frozen yet burning at the same time.  
  
"I care for Kai, Ray. I care for him more than all you guys put together. I love him more than I love myself. He was the first person who never tried to hurt me or use me. I had been alone until I met him but he saw me as an equal; someone instead of something. He is very special to me."  
  
"Then why…"  
  
"Every time we reunited, we were torn apart again. Every time I had prayed for him to come back and he did, and suffered." His eyes started to water and he turned away, continuing in a softer, sadder tone. "I don't want him to come back to me because I don't want him to hurt anymore. When he gets rescued, I don't want him to come visit me. I want him to get as far away from me as possible."  
  
"You know he won't do that. The first thing he'll ask when he comes back is to see you. As long as he breathes he will come back to you, Tala."  
  
The redhead fell silent at that, turning away so that the neko-jin couldn't see his eyes as they shimmered though Ray knew they were.  
  
"The nurse keeps me updated…Is it true that the officials have a lead?"  
  
"It's the best they've had so far. Mr. Dickenson and Bruce went with them. They've been gone for almost an entire day now. We hope we can catch up to them before they reach India."  
  
The door opened and the nurse poked her head into the room.  
  
"I'm afraid that it's time to leave, sir," she said to Ray.  
  
Nodding, he turned back to Tala. Hesitating for a moment, he leaned and slipped something into an open palm. Giving Tala a final reassuring smile, he rose and headed for the door.  
  
"I've always asked myself…" Tala said softly, staring up at the ceiling.  
  
"Yes?" Ray insisted gently, turning with his hand on the doorknob.  
  
"I've always asked myself…if Boris was telling the truth when he said that we deserved what happened to us. What if this is our fate?"  
  
"It can't be. Not this cruel--"  
  
"Fate is cruel. And they say you should never fight fate."

The voice sounded so…defeated, accepting the cursed path that had been laid down before him.  
  
Opening the door, Ray paused without turning and said;  
  
"You can fight and beat anything you want…as long as you believe in it."  
  
The door closed behind the Bladebreaker, leaving him with only his thoughts…and the object in his palm. Opening his hand, he stared at it and for a moment a single tear spilled loose and he smiled sadly.  
  
"I don't know what to believe in anymore…" he whispered before drifting off to sleep.  
  
In his relaxed hand, the black casing shone in the fluorescent light, its golden phoenix glittering.  
  
'Kai will hurt…as long as I breathe…There's no other way…'

ooooooooooooooo

The sun was slowly dipping behind the horizon, its remaining rays dancing off the sea's surface, glittering and breaking with the tide. The skies above were painted gold with hints of purple. In short: it was breathtakingly beautiful.  
  
And heartbreakingly painful for it was surely the last sun set she was ever going to see.  
  
Their temporary resting place was an old lighthouse that stood atop steep, jagged cliffs. A nearby, also unoccupied, hangar provided a perfect cover for the helicopter as it was refueled and examined by local mechanics who had been waiting for them upon arrival; more of Voltaire's henchmen.  
  
...You've served me so loyally for so many years, it's only fair I offer you a decent resting place...

The tycoon's snide remark and smug smirk refused to leave her, reminding her constantly of her promised demise.  
  
The person in her arms shifted slightly and she tightened her hold on him, hugging him closer where they sat on the very top floor of the light house, the panoramic view only amplified from the tower's height.  
  
Taking her eyes off the darkening sea, she looked down on Kai who remained passively in her arms, his blank eyes fixed on the ground below them though she knew he wasn't really seeing it. Next to the soft sounds of the ocean's waves, the haunting lullaby was the only sound as he continued to hum it.  
  
"I remember how you used to be afraid of heights when you were younger. One time you somehow managed to climb one of the trees in the eastern lawn and you couldn't come down. Do you remember that, Kai?"  
  
He didn't acknowledge her words but she continued anyways.  
  
"I'm sure you do. I had been searching for you for over an hour when I finally found you. I don't think I've ever moved so fast. Once I reached you I had held you just like this, whispering to you that everything was going to be alright and that you won't get hurt."  
  
Removing an arm from around him, she reached into her pocket and removed the three items.   
  
"We all loved you, Kai. We still love you. Even those who are no longer with us..."  
  
She gently took one of his hands and placed the watch and the bracelet into the palm before closing the fingers around them where they remained clenched.  
  
"And you still have those who will come back to you..."  
  
The empty bit was placed in his other hand before she brought both his fists against each other.  
  
"Just trust in them and yourself, Kai. I know you are hurting and tired, but there are others who may need you just as much."  
  
Heavy footsteps sounded on the wooden stairs and she knew it was Voltaire, coming to retrieve his grandson. Pulling Kai closer, voice confident yet pleading at the same time, she whispered,  
  
"I'm sorry I won't be here much longer for you, Kai. I am truly glad for the times we shared, even if they weren't always as bright and happy as someone like you deserved to have. Just hang in there. You can't let Voltaire win; not after all that has been done; not after your parents died, not after Dranzer sacrificed herself, not after I die; not ever."   
  
The humming grew softer though didn't falter but it encouraged her.  
  
"Think of the people who have shown you the better side of life. Think of those who had accepted you into their hearts. I know there are a lot of them in your life, Kai. There's more to life than this. And once you are free, you will never want life to end. If not for me, do it for your parents and Dranzer. Don't let their love for you become worthless by giving up after all this time."  
  
The massive lock on the door clicked and it began to open.  
  
"I love you, Kai Hiwatari. And if my death will ensure your safety, then I will happily accept it. Just promise me that you will live on..."  
  
"Magnificent, isn't it? So calm and peaceful."  
  
Voltaire walked over, eyes only leaving the ocean when he stood next to them.  
  
"People always say that those close to death often see their lives flash before their eyes; what do you think?"  
  
"I don't know, my lord," she answered, brushing the slate bangs of the teen, not meeting his grandfather's eyes. "Will you use me as another experiment to test the theory?"  
  
"Your pathetic life won't be much to look at," he snorted before sighing. "No, you're more upset because you won't be able to protect him anymore."  
  
"Someone has to."  
  
"Enough chit-chat. We have a productive day tomorrow so I will retire. Or rather, we will retire." He looked pointedly at Kai, wordlessly demanding Margaret his grandson.   
  
Knowing he'd strike the boy if she disobeyed, Margaret pressed a tearful kiss to Kai's forehead, pulling him close, wishing to remember the feel of him safely in her arms since this was most likely the last time they'd be together.  
  
"You'll make it, Kai. Please do…"  
  
Impatient, Voltaire reached down and gripping a slender upper arm, he yanked the boy to his feet, leaving her arms empty and her skin cold at the lost of contact. He smirked with contemptuous victory, possessively holding Kai close.  
  
"If I was you I'd enjoy this sun set; I truly doubt you'll "be around to see it rise tomorrow."  
  
Kneeling on the wooden floor, she could say nothing, only stare defeated at both males; hating the elder with all her being and mourning for the youngest with all her heart.   
  
"Come, Kai. You look like you could use some…warming up."  
  
With a snicker, he turned and led the unresisting boy to the door, his steps quicker at the thought of the promising night with his young kin. The door fell shut with a loud bang, lock clicking in place.  
  
Left with no blanket to protect her against the cold night air, she mutely crawled into a corner and curled up to preserve whatever body warmth she could muster, imagining Kai to be back in her arms, unharmed and safe.  
  
"It can't end like this…" she whispered to herself, feeling twice her age, her body suddenly tired and aching. "It can't…"  
  
The skies above the sea finally surrendered to darkness as the final rays vanished behind the ocean's horizon.   
  
Breathtakingly beautiful…Heartbreakingly painful…  
  
"It will…"   
  
And she finally surrendered; yet another of Voltaire's conquered victims.  
  
tbc….

oooooooooooooo

I swear on my own grave (if that is possible…oh well shrugs) the next update WON'T be this long!! Give me four to five days!!!  
  
Hehehe, and just to tease you guys: chapter 23 and 24 will (honestly) have MAJOR drama/action!!! But you'll just have to wait grows devil's horns HAHAHAHAHAHAHA coughchoke  
  
Read & Review, please.


	23. chapter twentythree

Title: Resurfacing  
  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: see chapter one  
  
Warnings: see chapter one  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable character belongs solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: Ha! I actually updated on time! This chapter was actually two separate chapters but I really want to get to the end of this story plus I still feel pretty bad about the last horribly late update and didn't want to stick you guys with a cliffie. So…here's a super long chapter 23!!! Love ya!!

000000000000000

He was swimming in thick, cold water which numbed his mind and body.   
  
"Alert the E.R!!"  
  
"Where's the doctor?!"  
  
"Who was keeping watch?!"  
  
Footsteps pounded the floor, voices shouted, machines beeped. He wanted to know what was going on, but he was too tired even move, staring blearily up at the ceiling   
  
"We're losing him!"  
  
"Call the team!"  
  
"We need help in here!!"  
  
He didn't feel anything wrong with him, so what was all the excitement about? The voices grew more frantic, the beeping more irregular.  
  
"Heartbeat is failing!"  
  
"Spasms are coming on strong!"  
  
"Come on, kid; don't quit on us now!!"  
  
**beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep  
**  
Pale blue eyes drifted shut and he turned his head away, burrowing deeper into his pillow. Outside his room, the staff fell silent and the steady beeps became a single toned drone that soothed him off to sleep.

00000000000000000000

He was rocked by another strong thrust, not even wincing as strong fingers dug into the already marred skin of his hips. The same hands moved to his knees, forcing them further apart, gripping the knee caps almost desperately as the pace was picked up.  
  
Grunting with each thrust, Voltaire had his head back, eyes closed to better feel the exquisite sensations that coursed through his body. He could feel his climax nearing and deepened his efforts, pulling at the body beneath him to meet him half-way, burying himself deeper.  
  
"Mine…My Kai…All mine…" he rambled to himself the entire time. "No one else's…only mine…Yes!"  
  
Leaning down, he nipped at the strong chest and neck, biting the skin hard enough to cause instant bruising. He tore a hand off those divine hips to run it through the tousled hair, groaning at the softness. The sight of the luscious bluenette beneath him and the feel of him undid the much older man who came with a triumphant cry, moaning as he thrust a few more times to ride out the wonderful climax. Panting, he eased himself off the boy, lying down next to him.  
  
Warmth played across his skin, heating its soft surface which shivered slightly as a hand leisurely ran down his side, its partner holding his head at a tilted angle, giving the wet mouth better access to his neck. Sheets stuck to their sweaty bodies, wrapping around him almost to the point of suffocation under their light weight and thick material. The room was silent except for the other's ebbing erratic breathing as the older man regulated his breathing which had been spurned by their 'passion'. The pants weren't steady yet, in a strange way, seemed to flow along with the tune that barely escaped his closed lips.   
  
The haunted tune...  
  
The haunted soul...and even that was waning.  
  
The hand finally found a suitable spot on his waist, falling still in motion though a rough thumb still traced unseen patterns, leaving slightly raised goose-bumps in its path as it trailed along. When the mouth on his neck pulled away his head was raised with uncharacteristic gentleness to meet matching red eyes which studied him with obsessive admiration.  
  
"Soon, Kai, soon all this will be over; all will be gone. It will just be the two of us," Voltaire whispered to the nonchalant teen beneath him, running his fingers through the slate-coloured bangs to reveal the crimson pair that had captivated him since the day he had first laid his own eyes on them. "Soon...soon we will be far away from here. You'll like India, especially our new home. No one to hazard us anymore. It will be just us."  
  
He loved the boy. He threatened him, beat him, cursed him, berated him; but he loved the young bluenette. He had come to the point that he couldn't let a day go by without touching and caressing the soft skin and hair, tasting the sweet lips, staring into those scarlet eyes. Kai was rightfully his. God had gifted him with this child to compensate for Sergey's incompetence.   
  
"I should have moved in sooner with Sergey," he whispered into an ear, kissing the lobe gently. "Your father...I had not anticipated him to be so rebellious. He resisted me, called me foul. I tried to be patient with him; I tried to ease him into submission. But he was already a teenager. Old enough to think that he knew what was right and what was wrong. He had such potential; intelligent, insightful, athletic, well-humoured, and so unbelievably desirable."  
  
Coarse fingertips began running over his face yet he didn't even blink, allowing them to map the contours of his cheeks, chin and lips.  
  
"He was my son. He was my property. Yet I was denied access to what I had created. Can you believe that, Kai? Do you not find it preposterous? A creator has all rights to enjoy his creations yet I was forbidden to take pleasure in what I believed to be my greatest masterpiece. He dared to defy me...to resist me."  
  
Voltaire scowled, his long hair falling over his shoulders, framing his face, curtaining his eyes though they remained intense.  
  
"Then he turned away from my love and married that British bitch. He was mocking me; openly boasting his rebellion. It was that very day that I swore to kill him; and her as well since she stole him away from me. All great creators hold dear their creations and if I could not have mine, no one could. It was such a brilliant scheme; I had planned it all down to the last minute."  
  
Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him tightly against the elder. The contact irritated the bandaged wounds but he didn't flinched, humming the sad ballad.  
  
"But then...then I was blessed. God himself understood me and gave me another chance; he gave me you. One look was all I needed to know that you were the one I've been craving for all my long life. And I wasn't going to make the same mistakes I made with your father. I trained you, Kai. From our very first meeting I made it clear to you who was the master. You learned so well. You would cry and say that you hated me, but you knew. You knew, Kai, deep down inside your mind and heart that you belonged to me from the start. You knew I deserved you, more than anyone else."  
  
His unresisting body was straddled amongst the sheets, their bare skin sliding smoothly over one another. Both hands now cupped his face as he felt a wet drop land on his cheek. The crimson eyes above him shimmered slightly, the grey hair before them tussled from their actions, adding to the almost insane stare directed fully on him.  
  
"I never make the same mistake twice. I am finally going to receive the reward for all my hard years of labour," Voltaire said, more to himself than the uninterested boy beneath him. Blinking away another tear, he leaned down, placing a long, hungry kiss on the pale lips. "I will never let you go, Kai. I cannot, even if I wanted to. You have become a drug and I am powerless to resist. You are too addictive. I cannot lose you...I would not be able to live without you..."  
  
He was wrapped in a strong embrace though didn't return it, staring lifelessly at the ceiling high above them. Even when the arms released him he didn't move, watching as his grandfather rose from the bed, suddenly all business and arrogance as usual, the moment of emotional weakness now covered by layers of confidence.  
  
"Get dressed," he said briskly, tossing the boy his clothes which had been carelessly tossed on the floor the night before. "We have an important date with someone at sunrise."   
  
Fully dressed, he was unable to resist taking hold of the smooth chin and forced another seemingly endless kiss, almost trying to devour the young man who sat through it passively, the bed sheets deliciously pooling around him slim waist, teasing the elder with glimpses that would have made a lesser man succumb with need. Bracing himself, he pulled away, straightening his clothes.   
  
"The guard will escort you when you are ready."  
  
And he was gone, disappearing through the single door, its lock clicking loudly in place. A few murmured instructions barely reached his ears and more footsteps. Then...silence. Except for a soft tune which had by now engraved its melody in his mind to the point that he couldn't think of anything else.  
  
Listlessly, he picked up his crumpled shirt and pulled it over his head. Bruises and lacerations stretched but pain, like the tune, was now a part of him he had learned to live with. Beyond that, there wasn't anything. The past weeks had morphed into ever fading memories.   
  
He could see a woman's face as she had held him, begging him to not give up, her embrace comforting though he no longer possessed the ability to feel it; a great ball of flame, wide wings and wild mane, soared imaginary before his eyes, a distant cry of a bird soon overpowered by the haunted tune. And faces. He saw so many faces. People he must have known at one time for they spoke to him in his mind as friends. Some seemed more familiar than others. Adults and peers alike, they drifted just out of reach of recognition. Their mouths moved but he couldn't hear them.   
  
Only his tune.  
  
"Hey! Hurry up in there!" the guard on the other side of the door demanded, banging once against the heavy wood in emphasis.  
  
He knew he should feel wrong to obey, that at one point before this he wouldn't have taken order from anyone, but now his arms moved on their own accord, fingers curling around the thick fabric of his pants as he body shifted itself to the edge of the large bed. If it was in any pain, and rightfully so, his body either didn't report it or his mind simply dejected it.   
  
His eyes, however, could still function correctly as he caught sight of something falling out of one of the pockets, landing on the carpeted floor silently as to not disturb his tune. An overhead light shining on the object danced over the golden surface which managed to find its way from under many years of decaying film.   
  
Slowly, he slid off the bed to the floor, kneeling over the bracelet, watching it, humming louder as he remembered her voice.   
  
Her laughter...  
  
The thick watch-band felt heavy in his hand as he gently removed it from the pocket, laying it almost ceremoniously alongside the bracelet. He remembered being held by its owner, feeling his father's warmth…  
  
His love...  
  
The skies through the windows were turning from purple to light pink, their rays high-lighting the accessories on the otherwise grim carpet. His own skin was bathed in a soft pink though he noticed nothing, eyes emotionlessly switching from one object to the next. The glittering seemed to dance in sync with the hummed lullaby.  
  
Laughter...Love...  
  
Between the two accessories the small, empty bit was placed, filling the space.  
  
Laughter...Love...Loyalty…  
  
High above his head, the sky turned blood-red as dawn and its inevitable fate drew nearer.  
  
00000000000000000000

Awareness tugged him out of the mist of sleep, making him confront the bright lights of reality. He was completely alone, in his heart but also in his room. The door was shut as always yet he could have sworn he had felt something brush over his face.   
  
Something lingered near him, in his mind. Something spoke to him in a silent language though he felt anticipation welling in his chest.  
  
For no reason, he sat up, muscles stiff, and for the first time since his arrival, he placed both feet on the floor, wincing at the iciness of the tiles. Undeterred, he held onto the bed's railings for much needed support and with pure will-power, he stood. His balance had been thrown off from long weeks lying in bed but he fought bravely against the dizziness that made everything spin.   
  
Something was wrong. The place was too quiet...  
  
The cords and wires attached to him were bothersome and he pulled them all out, wincing at the stings that quickly spread through his arms and wherever they had previously been injected in. Droplets of blood made angry streaks down his arms yet he had already forgotten them, walking with forced coordination to the door. The distance wasn't far but by the time he gripped the door handle his legs were trembling under strain of sudden motion and his had to lean against the cool wood as the world spun in crazy circled, fooling his mind enough to bring on nausea.  
  
The presence was still there. Next to him. But it was slipping away...  
  
No staff member was to be seen in either direction as he stepped out of his room, the even brighter lights making him squeeze his pale blue eyes shut. Though his eyes were closed for only a few seconds his heightened hearing heard the small dripdrip of his blood that now smeared his palm, trickling down his fingers before free-falling to the floor, splattering against the white tiles. The air in the corridor wasn't as heated as inside the room and being dressed in mere pyjama pants left him vulnerable to the chill, his skin prickling under the cold assault.  
  
It was moving away...down the hall...  
  
Keeping to the wall for support, he began to slowly make his way towards the source though as he slowly regained better coordination he picked up the pace a bit, breathing hard, almost desperate. It was wrong. Something was so horribly wrong; it ate at him.   
  
_"We're losing him!"  
  
beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep  
  
_Passing at least a dozen doors, he suddenly stopped before one which was numbered 303. It was no different from the rest of doors which lined the hall but it was this door that attracted him. It was here that he could still catch the presence though it had faded into mere whispers.  
  
Something about the presence made him fearful to let it leave. It felt as if he would be feeling the last of something very important to him. Like he was losing something…  
  
He had to catch it.  
  
Taking hold of the brass handle, he turned it, opening the room up to him.

00000000000000000

A towering uproar of foaming waves crashed against the rocky outcrop, forcing itself up and over the ledge, misting the small group of people who stood not too far away. Especially the woman who knelt on the rocky ground, not feeling the sharp edges that dug into her knees and shins. But a few feet behind her, the ground fell away, nothing but steep cliffs, rocky formations and strong waves.  
  
"Lovely, is it not?" Voltaire drawled from where he stood before her, his henchmen, armed and ready, surrounding her where she knelt on both knees. In one hand he too held a gun. His other arm was curled tightly around the slender waist of the boy who watched on blankly and silently. "Let it never be said that I wasn't a generous gentleman."  
  
"I'll say it as it is," she replied, hugging herself to keep warm, her coat having been taken along with her shoes. In fact, she had been stripped of almost all her clothes, left only in her underwear, the spraying sea-water coating her bare skin and hair in a cold layer; all her belongings had been taken and burned to destroy as much evidence as possible.   
  
"And I must say, sir, you are neither generous or a gentleman, or anything sane for that matter."  
  
He brushed off her words, running a hand beneath Kai's shirt.   
  
"Too bad you never had the chance to say that to others. You intrigue me, Margaret. Of all the servants you knew the most, yet remained the quietest. Did you fear me that much that you abstained from notifying the officials?" he asked with a smug expression, the idea clearly pleasing his twisted mind. "As of late I've picked up some…dislike…between us, yet that is where it remained, between us; were you frightened of the situation? Ashamed? Disgusted?"  
  
"Someone had to be," she spat spitefully.   
  
"And why is that? Look at us, Margaret. Look at me and my grandson." He pulled Kai against his shoulder, placing a soft kiss on even softer though tangled hair. "How can you be disgusted with something as beautiful as our joining? How can you deny what is right before your eyes; that we are destined together?"  
  
"I rather be in denial than blind as you are, my lord. Your mind is clouded with your sick illusions. Kai deserves much better than this--"  
  
"I KNOW WHAT THE BEST IS FOR HIM!!" Voltaire roared, eyes bulging in anger. "HE'S MY GRANDSON!! MINE!! MY OWN!!"  
  
"He belongs to no one!!" she shouted back. "He's not a mere possession; he's human!! You have no right to deny him what he wants!!"  
  
"And what would you know of his needs?" he countered. "No, woman, you know nothing. And very soon, you'll be nothing."  
  
Too sickened to even look at the bastard any longer, she turned her eyes on Kai as she heard a mixed symphony of guns clicking. The guards took aim. Refusing to let them distract her, she focused her all on the bluenette who was now watching the ocean, not even blinking despite the manual violation he was receiving from his own flesh and blood.   
  
"Kai?"   
  
His long bangs were swept out of his face by a strong breeze but otherwise he didn't move.  
  
"Kai?" she tried again. Voltaire watched her, enjoying her attempt.  
  
"Kai? Please, look at me?" she begged.  
  
"It is very impolite to deny a lady, even a bitch like this one, a request, love," Voltaire whispered in Kai's ear, using two fingers to turn the placid face in her direction. "Especially since this will be her last request."  
  
Bracing herself despite the words, she stared intently into the crimson orbs that returned it with much less intensity. Still, she had to see his face…one last time. Fingers trembled, eager to pull the triggers.  
  
"No," Voltaire suddenly said, holding up a hand to stop his men from firing. Smirking sinisterly at her suspicious but uneasy expression, he held up his own gun. "I have a better idea."  
  
"Actually going to do your own dirty work?" she said.  
  
"Indeed, I think it would be much more satisfying if I was the one to pump your guts full of lead." His smirk turned even more devilish. "However, since I am an 'old man', I believe I will need some assistance…"  
  
She had narrowed her eyes in suspicion but they now widened when he manoeuvred Kai to stand before him, bringing his arms around the boy to place the gun in the bluenette's hands, holding them there by enveloping them with his own.  
  
"You bastard!" she shouted, feeling sick to her stomach.  
  
Snickering as he lowered both his and Kai's arms to her level, he gave the blader's neck a long lick before kissing it. Kai didn't show any sign of resilience.   
  
"Nice and steady, Kai; you don't want to miss, do you?" he whispered into an ear, enveloping the smaller male from behind, thick arms supporting the much more slender ones as they both held the gun. "I don't think you'd want to make her suffer."  
  
Sobs were now coming on frequently, her arms folded across her practically bare chest, imaging Kai to be in them, safe and sound.   
  
"Or perhaps we should miss intentionally the first time? Let her know what pain really is? You think you know what pain is, don't you, woman? How about we show you the real meaning of it?"  
  
Her eyes never left Kai's. A particularly large wave crashed on the cliffs below, its upward burst effectively soaking her in an icy curtain.  
  
"You have served my household well over the past many years, Margaret Janssen," Voltaire said in an almost preaching voice. "Appreciation would be in order though your conducts as of late have been less grateful."  
  
His hand snaked to cover Kai's, wrapping around the trigger, the barrel aimed between her eyes.   
  
"You were faithful yet your loyalties lied in the wrong place…"  
  
With the ocean roaring behind and below her; she couldn't even hear Kai's soft tune…  
  
"…I don't care where you go from here, bitch, yet at least your loyalties will remain, along with your body, buried under the ever shifting tides…"  
  
The waters below resided for a while, drawing back to the ocean, bringing on a momentary silence...  
  
"…You put up a moderately good resistance, woman…"  
  
It was silent…  
  
"…But will-power is useless against sheer power…"  
  
She couldn't hear his humming…  
  
"…Your companionship is no longer needed…"  
  
The waves had fallen…  
  
"…Margaret Janssen, I relieve you of your duties…"  
  
Kai had fallen silent…  
  
"You are now dismissed."  
  
The blood-red sky's serenity shattered at the sharp explosion of bullet leaving gun.

00000000000000000000

"Sir, we are approaching the suspected location!" the co-pilot shouted back from the cockpit before turning back, shouting is Russian over his headset to the other choppers who had taken up formation positions around them.  
  
"This is it," Bruce said, cocking the weapon he held with angrily trembling hands. Beside him the radio crackled.  
  
"You watch yourself, Bruce," Mr. Dickenson warned; he was in another chopper seeing as he would not be of much help in the heat of the action. "We don't know what to expect; Voltaire is very unreliable. We've come this far; if it fails now than it will all have been in vain."  
  
In his mind Bruce estimated just how great an outcome such a failure could bring about.  
  
_"Things aren't the same without you, Kai…Please Kai, just hold on…We will find you and things will get better…I promise...We really miss you."  
_  
For a team who had suffered so greatly in their captain's absent.  
  
_"I never knew…All this time…All this time I though that he was dead…"_  
  
For a grandmother who never saw her own grandson.  
  
_"Don't…touch…help…"  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you…I'm going to take you away from off this…"  
  
_For another Abbey victim who could not lose his friend a second time.  
  
_"Why do you always want people to leave you alone, Kai?"  
  
"Because then no one can hurt me. No one can touch me…"  
_  
For Kai, who had had everything he loved so cruelly ripped from him.  
  
Face determined and eyes set, he cocked the gun, sparing the elder man a look.  
  
"There are too much at stake here for this to fail. For everyone's sake, failure is not an option."

0000000000000000000

Cold sea water sprayed wet mist onto her back, soaking her already wet body, her remainder of 'clothes' sticking to her skin. Yet she lived. There was no pain.  
  
A howl of mixed emotions, including pain, anger and outrage, erupted before her.  
  
Voltaire knelt on one knee, a broad hand clutching his other leg though blood was seeping from around and between his digits, staining his expensive pants. He was looking up straight in the barrel of his own gun.  
  
Breathing heavily, crimson eyes narrowed in nothing short of pure hatred, Kai held the gun with both hands, his posture weak but stubbornly focused.   
  
Around them the guards had also raised their guns, shouting in Russian as they took aim at both the teen and the woman behind him. The head man barked the go ahead and the guns clicked.  
  
The ocean grew eerily silent as the waves suddenly stopped rolling. From beyond the far horizon, a blinding flash streaked out in every direction as the sun peeked over the waters. Sunrise was upon them and in the silence of the surreal moment a distant screech caused ripples to spread across the otherwise flat water surface. The henchmen had faltered momentarily yet would have taken aim again had one of them not shouted and pointed across the water.   
  
Against the bright sun, the figure was almost impossible to see and seemed to be emerging from the burning surface itself, releasing another loud cry which had never sounded as powerful and enraged before. Voltaire, already pale from blood loss, blanched when two massive wings sprouted from the shrouded being's sides. With a great flap it rose high, out speeding the sun in its ascent to the skies which seemed to flicker orange and red. Another swoop of those fiery wings completely severed the creature from the sun, its long tails whipping behind it.  
  
"Impossible…IMPOSSIBLE!!" he shouted, turning on Kai who still kept him at gun point though the teen didn't respond, remaining silent, eyes now matching the raging sky above them.  
  
With a devastating hurl, Dranzer, reborn in all her glory, spewed forth an endless stream of flames, reducing the helicopter they had intended to use to escape to melted rubble. Taloned feet reached down, gripping the twisted metal with enough force to crush it and with a flex of the powerful leg muscles, sent it over the cliff, taking out two of the henchmen in their attempted escape, sending them tumbling to the water below which now roared as the wings conjured up strong gales.  
  
Everything was happening so fast that she didn't know where to look. The henchmen were either running or attempting to bring down the avenging phoenix who had turned her pent up rage on the lighthouse, setting it blazing as she brutally slashed at its stone structure with her claws and tail.  
  
Despite all the chaos around them, neither Voltaire nor Kai flinched, eyes still only on each other.   
  
"K-Kai…what are you doing?" Voltaire asked, actually sounding stunned.  
  
He didn't answer. However, his eyes, though flaming, watered. Tears ran down the thinned face, dripping off his chin as his grandfather's blood dripped off his.  
  
"You don't want to do this, Kai. Don't ruin this for me!" he shouted, struggling to his feet and managing to do so though he was obviously in great amount of pain. "Don't ruin this for us!!"  
  
"No more."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I won't let you hurt any more. I won't let you take anyone away from me again."  
  
"Don't do something you'll regret, Kai," he growled.  
  
"All my life I blamed myself for everything you did for me. All my life I made excuses for you when you yourself never even once apologized, or even explained, your actions." Kai's voice, no where near as strong as it had once been, held a tone that carried too many emotions to discern.   
By now they were surrounded by flames. Most of the henchmen had been destroyed to nothing but mere ashes. Above, Dranzer continued her reign of revenge, chasing and fending off those foolish and desperate enough to remain in useless attempts to shoot her down.  
  
"You hurt me. You've hurt me so much, for so long…" Tears streamed down yet the gun never lowered.   
  
"Force is no longer needed, Kai. Everything is waiting us at our new home. Don't spoil this."  
  
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!!" he suddenly shouted, shaking his head in angry denial.   
  
With a loud groan, the tall light tower gave way as the flames burned away its very foundation, bringing it crashing to the ground in rolling thunder, mercifully away from them though cutting off one escape route. The very earth shook beneath their feet but Kai didn't acknowledge it.  
  
"You have done nothing to deserve a reward, just as I have done nothing to deserve what I've been through. I deserved to live a normal childhood, grandfather. I deserved to keep my innocence. I deserved to have my parents!!"  
  
"But you still have me, Kai. We can be together, that's all that matters."  
  
"No!" he shouted, eyes starting to shimmer, "that's all that matters to you. You and your selfishness. Fuck your words and promises! I don't care how you feel towards me! All I wanted was for you to leave me alone!"  
  
And then it happened. A single tear ran down, soon followed by others. He cried. He cried hard. Not only for himself, but for this man before him. For this bastard who had caused him nothing else but misery. For this man for whom, somewhere deep in his heart, Kai had wished to one day be able to love as it was meant to be.   
  
None of this should have happened. His parents shouldn't have been killed; he shouldn't have been kidnapped; no one should have been hurt. Why had his grandfather chosen this way of life? Why?  
  
Above the flames and smoke, a new sound droned closer. Through the dark smoke, spotlights beamed down, cutting through the darkness. Whirling blades swept the darkness, sending it back over the ocean. A voice was ordering the still fleeing henchmen to remain still.  
  
"So this is your choice then, Kai?" Voltaire asked, watching the tears steak the beautiful face.   
  
"This is what you made me choose, grandfather," he corrected, eyes shimmering. "None of this had to happen. It could have turned out so differently."  
  
Seeing the tears in the young man's eyes, Voltaire's expression shifted, softening.  
  
"I am not a man of weakness or sentiments, including one as grave as love, but I meant what I said in the room earlier. I do love you so much, Kai."  
  
Inside his bandaged chest, Kai felt a shard of agony pierce him to the core. The overwhelming sensation of anger, hatred, sadness and pity he felt towards this man firmed his resolve. His voice was soft, meant only for the man before him.   
  
"…I love you too, grandfather."  
  
Unable to stop him and unable to look, Margaret looked away. The cracking explosion of the gun firing overthrew everything else before fading into an echo that was soon swallowed by the chaos around them. She heard the strangled grunt before a heavy thud as the former Voltaire Hiwatari slumped forward, eyes still open as blood ran over them from the bullet hole in his temple.  
  
A second, less noticeable sound still caught her ears as Kai sank to his knees, breathing ragged breaths, tears in even greater abundance than ever as he stared at the lifeless body. The gun slipped from limp fingers, dropping to the rocky ground, its sleek black coating now scratched with white scrapes.  
  
"Kai…" she crept closer, soon kneeling next to him. Taking his downcast chin in hand, she turned his face towards her.  
  
Sadness…disbelief…anger…fear; his eyes were brimming with emotions, once again shining with a light of regained consciousness. His lower lip trembled slightly, the salty tears dripping onto his tongue, their salty taste bitterly exposing him to what he had done.  
  
What a sight they made; a young man, pale and thin, bandaged and bruised, free and crying. The gun might have done the dirty work without him having to lay a finger on his grandfather, but he felt it. The spoils of the murder now coated him heavier than blood, reality almost suffocating him. Next to him a middle-aged brunette, dressed only in her undergarments and some injuries of her own, watched on, fighting the temptation to glance over at the motionless body.  
  
"M-Margaret…?" Kai barely managed to choke out but already she pulled him to her, wrapping trembling arms around his equally trembling body. And he returned the embrace, resting his head on a shoulder, not minding as her hair tickled his face.  
  
"It is alright, Kai. Everything's going to be alright."  
  
"I…I…"  
  
"It wasn't your fault--"  
  
"I killed him!" he finally blurted out, eyes wide as the full reality of his action sunk in.  
  
"Shhh," she soothed, rubbing his back gently.   
  
"You will pay for that!!" A henchman who had somehow managed to elude Dranzer stood before them, eyeing his former boss's corpse. "You bitches!!" He raised his weapon. "For Lord Volta—AAAH!!"  
  
He slumped forward, a bleeding bullet wound in his back the cause of death.  
  
"KAI!"  
  
The voice made him twist in her arms to see the tall form of Bruce running towards them, gun still smoking. Jumping over some simmering debris, the man halted for a moment at the sight of Voltaire's body. However, he brushed it off, quickly walking over to the two huddled people.  
  
"Thank God!" he exclaimed to find the boy alive though in obvious need of serious medical treatment. He had lost too much weight and bandages many feet in length were wrapped around his torso though some scrapes had been left unattended as they were too numerous in number. "We've got to get you out of here!"  
  
On cue, a large chopper broke through the thick smoke, coming to hover above them. A helmeted head peeked over the ledge before disappearing and throwing down a rope ladder to the three people caught in the centre of the blazing ring. An officer expertly made his way down, free falling a few feet to land next to them.  
  
"This whole place is going to become one big fireball! Let's go!" he shouted.  
  
"Take her!" Bruce shouted back over the crackling flames, pointing to Margaret. The officer obliged, scooping the trembling woman up in one arm. She hesitated on releasing Kai but seeing that the man knew him she felt that he was in capable hands.   
  
Embracing the boy for a swift moment, Bruce had never felt such relief in his life.   
  
"You're safe, Kai. I've got you."  
  
Kai didn't respond though he did tighten his hold on the strong body, allowing the man to effortlessly lift him. Looking over a broad shoulder, he stared as the flames had reached the spot they had just vacated. The dark form of Voltaire didn't stir as the flames tasted his clothes before consuming him, obscuring the gruesome sight with billowing smoke. He felt them begin to ascend, Bruce holding onto him with one hand while the other gripped the rope ladder. The chopper went up until they finally broke through the large cloud of smoke and flames.   
  
The morning sky was bright blue above them, small white clouds floating harmlessly about. The ocean, sparkling aqua blue, stretched out for miles, rushing along far below them. The sun had fully emerged, its golden sphere illuminating radiantly though what caught his attention was the majestic bird who circled several meters away.  
  
"Dranzer…" he breathed, watching his bit beast lift her head, her mane once more full and lush while her feathers glowed like newly lit coals. With an excited squawk she flew over, dipping below the helicopter to prevent risking any damages to its spinning blade. Inching up, she was soon but a foot below them.   
  
Bruce caught on to what he wanted and gently lowered him a bit, allowing him to reach out an arm. Dranzer cooed and stretched her neck and touched it with her beak, nuzzling his palm with astounding gentleness considering that she had just taken down an entire light house. Deep burning eyes met his and he smiled softly.  
  
"Thank you, Dranzer."  
  
With an acknowledging cry, she splintered into thousands of lighted crystals and returned to the bit in his pocket, happy to be back where she belonged with the person she loved the most.  
  
From her place higher up the rope ladder, which was being hauled up by other S.W.A.T. members, Margaret smiled through her tears at the interaction before resting her head wearily on the rescuer's shoulder. Just at that one moment Kai looked up, meeting her squarely in the eyes. She offered him another smile which he returned. Then, for the first time in what had seemed like eternity, she closed her eyes and allowed herself the rest her body had so desperately been longing for.  
  
"We're sorry, Kai," Bruce said, now able to see the extent of the injuries in the bright sunlight. "None of this should have been allowed to happen."  
  
"Not your fault," he replied softly, also laying his aching head down on the shoulder.  
  
"Everyone missed you so much. Though…if you don't feel like seeing anyone so soon…"  
  
He shook his head, closing his eyes against the bright sun.  
  
"I saw them…on television at…the conference…I missed them too. Very badly…I want to see them as soon as possible."  
  
"No problem," Bruce smiled, looking up as a hand landed on his arm, the S.W.A.T. team having hoisted them within arm's reach. "I doubted they would have taken no for an answer anyways."  
  
Smiling sadly to himself, Kai opened his eyes as he was placed on a stretcher. Margaret was nearby, fast asleep and covered with a thick blanket, her face peaceful in deep sleep. Reaching over, he was able to touch her hand, taking it in his grip. She stirred slightly but kept on sleeping. Content to just touch her, he turned to the large doors which were now being shut. Clear blue skies slowly narrowed as the mechanical slides closed in on each other until they locked.  
  
Medics were already gently easing him out of his torn shirt, beginning the tedious task of dressing as many wounds as possible. Standing close-by, Bruce watched them work on him, ready to intervene should they do something to upset him though he doubted anything could ruin the moment.  
  
Blue skies…  
  
Blue eyes…  
  
We will get through this, Kai. As long as we stay together, we will get through this. One day, we will get away. Together. All of us. I promise.  
  
'This is it, Tala. You didn't break your promise. We made it…'  
  
Sleep beckoned him and he obliged willingly, slipping into its comforting embrace.

00000000000000000000

Wiping his eyes with his handkerchief, Mr. Dickenson hung up.   
  
They had Kai. He was alive. Injured, but alive. The mission had been a success. Mr. Dickenson loved his Bladebreakers and seeing, not only Kai, but the rest of the team suffer these past few weeks had affected him far more than anyone could understand.   
  
'He's safe now; there's no need to worry anymore. He will have some trouble readjusting to his old life, but Kai is strong. He will be alright."  
  
Nodding to himself, he picked up his phone, ready to dial the others to give them the good news, when it rang on its own accord. He answered it.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Stanley?"  
  
"Judy? I have wonderful news--"  
  
"There's a problem here," she interrupted, sounding too concerned to have heard him.  
  
"Oh?" he asked. Her tone of voice was worried and he could feel some of his relief and joy seeped away with each tense second that passed.  
  
"We got a message from the hospital…Tala has gone missing."  
  
"Have they searched the entire hospital? Was there a security breach? Any signs of struggle?!" The first thing that came to mind was that Boris had managed to escaped and had tried to finish what he had started. He dismissed that thought though; Boris was under high security with absolutely no chance of escape.  
  
"It wasn't Boris," she said as if having read his mind. "We're afraid Tala might have…done something to himself…"  
  
"Judy, please speak clearer," he begged, feeling the stress he had just banished return as strong as ever.  
  
"They found him room empty though followed a trail of blood down the hall to another room …Ian's room…" she trailed off though he couldn't understand why.  
  
"I was told he wasn't allowed to leave his bed yet…but why would that garner such a reaction? He simply wishes to see his friends," he proposed.  
  
He could practically feel her confusion as she spoke the next sentence.  
  
"Stanley, didn't you receive the earlier message?"  
  
"I'm afraid not. So much has happened; it must have been lost in the chaos. Why? What was the message?"   
  
She inhaled sharply and he knew that whatever she was about to say held nothing remotely good.  
  
"Ian suffered an unexpected and grave cerebral bleeding during the night, Stanley. The medics tried everything; his room was filled with doctors but it wasn't enough. He...He's dead, Stanley."  
  
tbc.....

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Only two chapters left to go. Almost there…  
  
Well, that was the 'action' chapter. Coming up; a very dramatic and emotional chapter 24!  
  
Read & Review, please.


	24. chapter twentyfour

Title: Resurfacing  
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine  
Rating: R  
Summary: see chapter one  
Warnings: see chapter one  
Disclaimer: I do not own any Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: A certain review really tickled my interest so here's the response.   
To Inu Hanyou; what's up with my pen-name? Nothing I consider unusual. Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that Ladya is a name I just came up with one day and it sorta stuck with me since then. The 'C' is the first letter in my real name. Maxine…to be honest, I have no idea why I chose that one, but in the long-run I fell in love with it.   
  
Alright, this chapter was by far the most difficult thing I've ever written period and it took me a grand total of five days to get it right. Hope you like it!! Also, incase you are wondering what's up with the formatting recently; due to Fanfiction.net's new QuickEdit feature I had to change certain things, but nothing of great importance.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Where are they? Do you think something happened on the way back? What if the chopper ran out of fuel; they've been flying for a long time. What if there was an emergency and they had to stop off at a closer hospital? When--"  
  
"Chill out, Kenny! They'll be here soon. They've probably landed already."  
  
"But what if Kai's hurt badly and needs to be taken straight to the E.R? What if he d-doesn't want to see us?"  
  
Taking the panicking boy by the shoulders, Max gave him a strong shake.  
  
"Kenny! Enough! It's okay, alright? If Kai needs to go to the E.R. then he will. If he isn't ready to see us yet, then he won't. But at least we know he's alive; that's what matters."  
  
Chief took a few deep breaths but nodded, sinking back in his seat when the blond released him. Opening Dizzy, he began to type vigorously; something he did when he was nervous which usually earned him a few remarks from his bit beast though she remained silent, the time not suitable for her trade-mark sarcasm.  
  
The waiting room fell silent once more, their thoughts overriding their voices as they tried to decide their course of actions in the upcoming moments. It was hard; probably the hardest thing they've done in their entire lives. Just how did one confront the situation? What should one say? What shouldn't one say? The silence was near deafening.  
  
It was almost eleven o'clock. Night (and rain) had fallen a long time ago though sleep was the last thing on everyone's minds. It had been over twelve hours; twelve hours since they received the news that they had been waiting for more than a month; twelve hours since, for the first time in what had seemed like eternity, they had felt some form of relief that had been eating away at them: they had Kai. Kai was coming back to them.  
  
Judy had gathered everyone early that morning around 7 o'clock in her hotel room; the Bladebreakers, the White Tigers, the All Starz, the remaining adults. They didn't know the nature of the news and had sat in tense anticipation, hoping for the best yet fearing the worse. That morning had not been the most forgiving. Not after receiving the news of the deceased Ian and missing Tala.  
  
When Judy had given them the news a heavy silence had fallen in the room. No one said anything, mentally processing the credibility of the news. Then, someone, no one could remember who, sniffed. That was all that was needed. Cheers, tears and hugs; everything came over them at once. For over an hour they had remained in the room, assuring each other that they had not heard wrong.   
  
If he was asked what had happened between morning and now, Ray wouldn't have been able to answer. Everything had been thrown in a tizzy; the day had been passed through with so many emotions that it was hard to say what one had been feeling at a particular time.  
  
It had been a mutual agreement that, even though the other teams were eager to see the phoenix again, only the Bladebreakers would be present upon his arrival; too many people would probably make Kai uneasy. The remaining teams were at the hotel, awaiting further news of the found blader's being. Judy and Mr. Granger were with them. Even Anne-Marie, who they had thought would want to be there, was absent. She still feared the reaction she could get from the bluenette and wanted to meet him alone. It was understandable and even for the best; to be introduced to a grandmother he had never known after such an ordeal with another family member could be too much for Kai to handle in one day.  
  
"But…what if Kenny's right?" Tyson asked, breaking the silence between the four. "Do you think Kai is ready? I mean, maybe he'll feel uncomfortable around us…"  
  
"And what about Ian? Does Kai know about him already? And Tala?" Max added.  
  
When silence followed Ray blinked out of his thoughts to find three pairs of eyes on him, waiting for him to answer their questions. Despite having been deemed the team's temporary captain in Kai's absence, he still couldn't fully grasp the responsibility.   
  
'What if Kai doesn't recover? What if he doesn't want to return to the team? Could I be capable of leading them?'   
  
Shaking his head at the negative thoughts, he focused on a suitable answer.  
  
"Maybe he'll want to see us, maybe not. Whatever Kai decides we will respect, alright?" They nodded. "Whether he knows about Ian or not, it's best if we don't bring it up. Same goes for Tala…"  
  
Resting his elbows on his knees, Max slumped slightly.  
  
"They've searched the entire building; all the rooms, all the halls, the garage, the basement, even the roof tops! Why can't they find him? Where could he be?"  
  
He had no answer for that but luckily no one expected one. Just when they had finally found Kai they lost two others. Ian's sudden death had taken everyone off guard. He had shown no signs and the doctors had stated him as the healthiest of the four Russians. What had transpired last night had shaken everyone badly, especially the teams. Another blader, another teen, was dead, gone from the face of the earth with no warning, dying alone with only frantic staff medics around him, his team mates unaware that they were losing a friend until it was too late. Spencer had been in surgery and Bryan had been several floors down in rehab, exercising his healing leg to build back strength. How they had taken Ian's death was not yet known.   
  
And Tala…   
  
The door handle jiggled, bringing everyone's attention to the front of the room. Slowly, the door opened and in stepped Mr. Dickenson. Taking a shuddering but deep breath, Ray stood from his seat, the others mimicking him and rising as well to stand before their manager.  
  
"Are you okay, sir?" Kenny asked.  
  
"There's no need to worry about me." Studying their faces, Mr. Dickenson smiled wearily, nodding his head slightly at their unspoken questions. "He's in the hall."  
  
Max sniffled softly and Tyson placed an arm around his friend's shoulders.  
  
"H-How is he?" the Dragoon blader stuttered.  
  
"He is tired and injured, but capable to walk on his own two feet. He's received some medical treatment underway but the true healing must happen here," Mr. Dickenson tapped his head. "And if there is a group who can do that it is his team mates."  
  
"We'll try, Mr. Dickenson, but…what should we do?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Take one step at a time, starting with letting him know that nothing has changed between you boys. Are you willing to give it a try?"  
  
They nodded, eyes on the door which was slightly parted.  
  
"Then I'll send him in and leave you alone." He smiled. "Show him that the bond between the Bladebreakers is unbreakable."  
  
Wordlessly, Mr. Dickenson stepped back into the hall and they could hear an exchange of whispers, the second voice being Bruce's. A hand clutched Ray's and he looked down to see it belonged to Tyson. Meeting the Dragoon blader's eyes, he squeezed the hand slightly, feeling a bit nervous. Kenny stood next to Max, slightly trembling as he clutched Dizzy to his chest. Standing in a line, the four bladers watched the door which opened once more.   
  
Mr. Dickenson remained just outside the threshold, looking at them once before turning his eyes on someone out of their view. A few moments passed with nothing happening before the sound of shoes on tile brought a second person in the doorway.  
  
Weigh had been lost, more so than Tyson, and dark bruises marred the once unblemished skin. Wild bangs hung before the unpainted face. Crimson eyes, slightly haunted and missing their coldness, swept over the four silently, not betraying anything the boy could have been feeling.  
  
Ray…Tyson…Max…Kenny… Here they were, all standing before him, looking nothing like the last time he had seen them in person, laughing and goofing off at the ceremony. The past weeks had been hard on them. Far harder than he had imagined. They watched him, taking in what had become of their once unshakeable captain. Somewhere deep in him he had expected them to look upon him with indecision, keeping distance from the teen who was stained for life.  
  
They didn't. They just stared…  
  
The first person to move was Max, large eyes shimmering as he took a step forward, one hand raised, unsure. Dark circles rounded the blue eyes and he looked as if he had long forgotten how to smile. He moved one more foot closer but stopped when Kai visible cringed at the closeness. Tension was high as none of them could think up the appropriate course of action.   
  
Taking a deep breath, Ray moved to stand next to the blond however merely held out his hand, golden eyes as soft as possible as to not intimidate the bluenette.  
  
Kai hadn't meant to flinch at Max's proximity but, despite having braced himself for this reunion, physical contact of the intimate kind, even something as innocent as a welcome-back-hug, triggered unwanted thoughts in his mind to which his body responded to with wariness of a fearful kind. His small retreat made Max back off himself and Kai would have spun and left the room had Ray not stepped forward, raising his hand.  
  
"It's good to have you back, Kai," the neko-jin said with a soft smile. "Things weren't the same without you."  
  
Looking away, the bluenette argued softly, "Things will never be the same again…"  
  
"Maybe. But who says that's a bad thing?" Ray countered.  
  
He mulled over the words for a moment before meeting his team mate's eyes again before looking down at the still offered hand, his own fingers twitching nervously.  
  
"Voltaire's gone, Kai. He can't hurt you anymore. You're free now. So things have changed, but you can adapt. And we'll be here to help you when you need us."  
  
"Yeah, we're a team, Kai," Tyson said, coming forward. "We stick together, no matter what."  
  
"You're still our friend; nothing can change that. Ever," Max added, offering an encouraging smile. Kenny, too overcome, merely nodded, sniffing softly.  
  
"Kai?" Ray brought the phoenix's attention back on him. "Please…"  
  
That day that now seemed so long ago, when it had been just him and Ray in their hotel room, when the tiger had truly shown him how deep the team's affection for him ran gave his arms the strength and, albeit shakily, he raised it, hesitating for another second before taking hold of Ray's, his fingers curling around the neko-jin's. Someone was touching him…and it didn't hurt. He didn't even pull away when the others placed their hands over his as well.   
  
"Welcome back, captain," Ray smiled, the weight on his chest lifting as he handed the title back to its respected owner. Tyson and Kenny mimicked the smile and while it lasted a few seconds, the energetic spheres in Max's eyes flickered back to life as he recovered himself, a wide grin spreading over his face.  
  
It was a small step; he knew it will take some time before he would be able to deal with them like the old days, but seeing the rekindled optimism on his team's faces assured him that Ray was right. Things had changed between him and his team, but with them there to help him, it didn't have to be a bad one.  
  
Behind them the door opened slightly and Mr. Dickenson peeked around the corner, the slightly worried expression easing off as he spied the five together. If he could he would leave them alone, but they were still facing what he feared would be the hardest thing the phoenix would have to overcome.  
  
"Kai?" he called softly, his stomach twisting when the boy turned at his voice, looking to have already regained his smile in the short space of time with his friends. To know that that smile wasn't going to last… "There's something I need to tell you in private."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bare feet walked through the mud which oozed where the path should have been, brown splatters staining the bottom of the soaked pants. The canopy of leaves above offered little shelter against the raindrops but the lone figure didn't care, downcast eyes fixed on the road beneath his feet as they walked on their own accord, more aware of their destination than he was. The skin beneath his bandaged torso stung as freezing winds whipped at him, his crossed arms unable to protect him.  
  
Traffic noises have long faded as he had crossed the border between city and forest, stopping only briefly at the bridge to stare at the rippling surface of the water below, his reflection brokenly looking back at him.   
  
Ten years had passed yet nothing had changed…  
  
Without needing a reason he raised his eyes when he reached the broadened end of the path where the trees had been cut down long ago, the dirt replaced by concrete and cobble stone that surrounded the dark complex in the center of the clearing.   
  
Staring lifelessly, he looked back down the path but no one was there. He continued towards the high gates. No one was there to stop him. No one was there at all.  
  
Somewhere within him, he had hoped otherwise…

--------------------------------------------------

Silence seemed to have become his closest ally as it once again encompassed him where he sat, elbows on knees while his head rested in his palms, eyes closed as he swallowed the news bit by bit, fighting the urge to throw up. Before him on the low glass table the pair of goggles, last seen adorning a purple haired head, now looked alien.  
  
"I truly hate to do this, Kai, but I know it would have been worse if you found out on your own."  
  
"How can it get any worse?" he countered softly, looking through his slightly parted fingers at Ian's goggles before raising his head to meet Mr. Dickenson's eyes. "It never ends…"  
  
"This is the last thing you need right now, Kai," the older man said. "We found you; we'll find Tala. We truly doubt he was kidnapped," Kai winced at this, "and he couldn't have gotten too far in his condition. He's not in the hospital so the grounds are being searched by police and hounds; they'll pick up his trail."  
  
Not answering, he leaned slightly forward, wincing as the whip marks on his back stretched under the strain, and picked up the goggles, running trembling fingers over the glass surfaces. In the past this would have earned him some grumbling from the Wyborg blader who hated it when his team mates would smudge the glass on purpose. Ian never wore the visors on his face, but for some reason he hated it when the glasses were dirty. Of course Bryan indulged himself in this small fact, patting their smallest member on his head or ruffling his hair, anything that would require him getting his finger prints over the shiny surfaces.  
  
A sad smile curled at the corner of his mouth at the memory. Gripping the goggles tightly, he rested his forehead on his fist, whispering a soft prayer. Ian always did so before every match, another one of his weird habits though Kai wished he could see Ian do it himself one last time. His death was going to leave a forever aching emptiness amongst the remaining members.  
  
"Take care of yourself, my friend," Kai whispered softly, clenching his eyes though Mr. Dickenson could see the threatening moisture between the lashes. When a tear escaped he felt a hand gently touch his forearm as Mr. Dickenson kneeled before him, offering him some tissue which he accepted gratefully while the manager rose and walked over to the window, watching the boiling, black clouds that released endless torrents of rain, their droplets splattering against the window.  
  
'Ironic, at the beginning of this nightmare it had been Tala in this room and Kai missing when I had looked at the dark sky. Now the tables have turned when this should have been the end,' he though, smiling disbelievingly. Speaking softly, he said, "Looks like it will rain all night, but the search teams aren't deterred. Clouds will darken the sky, but no matter how dark it becomes, the moon and stars will always be there when the clouds clear. There's always light…"  
  
It took him a while to notice that the soft sniffs had stopped and he turned to regard the bluenette. Kai was still sitting, goggles in hand, but on his face was a strange expression of realization, crimson eyes staring at a spot visible only to him.   
  
"Stars…" he repeated softly.  
  
The fingers tightened to the point Mr. Dickenson was afraid would crush the visors but his attention was drawn back to the teen's face though Kai didn't meet his stare, eyes still focused on the unseen sight. His voice, however, was directed to the older man.  
  
"Stars…" He took a deep breath.   
  
"What about them, Kai?"  
  
Looking down at the goggles, he gently cleaned the smudged glasses with the tissue before answering, "I know where Tala is."  
  
------begin flashback------  
  
"Have you ever been there?" A slender finger pointed up, gesturing to the inky black sky above them.  
  
"I was in planes..." he frowned softly, "but we never stayed up there for long. Mama told me that people have been on the moon, though."  
  
"And the stars? Has anyone ever gone to them?"  
  
He thought for a moment before shaking his head. Beside him he felt the red-head sit up, blue eyes fixed on the sparkling dots in the darkness.  
  
"How do we reach them…?" Tala asked himself aloud.  
  
"Mama…" Kai began softly, sitting up himself, well balanced despite the slant of the roof, "Mama once told me that when she and dad died that they would always be with me amongst the stars. She said from there they will look over me…"  
  
"Really? Which star are they?"  
  
"She never said, but I think they are there," he pointed to a pair of stars somewhat isolated from the rest, shifting a bit so the red-head could sight alongside his arm. "Those two stars are apart because they must be special. Mama and dad were very special."  
  
"Do you think my papa is up there too?"  
  
"Probably," he said, wrapping both arms around the fragile body when Tala started to pull away. The red-head didn't protest, leaning back in the hug. "Mama told me that anyone who loves you will live with the stars when they die."  
  
"Well…I think my papa is that one," He pointed to a large, beaming star almost directly above them.  
  
"The nothern star?" Kai asked, smiling softly.   
  
"Uh-huh. And, it's so big that I could live there too with papa when I die. And then we'll look after you, Kai, just like your mama and papa, okay?"  
  
The words were sincere though their meaning sank heavily in his stomach. Gently taking hold of the slender shoulders, he turned the red-head until Tala sat facing him, the fair face etched in concern.  
  
"Don't you want me to look after you with the stars, Kai? It's okay. If you don't want--"  
  
"Why are you talking like that? Like you're going to die before me…"  
  
Tala looked down, fiddling with the end of the white scarf.  
  
"I don't know…I just…feel like I will…"  
  
Silence fell between them for a few moments before he spoke again.  
  
"When I die…I want to die as close to the stars as possible. You know, that way I'll be by my papa as soon as possible, and I can start looking out for you." He looked around the endless stretch of roof. "This is my favorite spot in the world. When I die, I wish it is here…"  
  
-------end flashback-------  
  
Around the ivory globed moon sparkled hundreds of stars, each as bright as the next, too far above for their fires to be doused by the rain that fell hard upon earth. Heavy rain drops stirred the forest, rustling the leaves of the many trees. The concrete brickworks of the buildings were less affected though the sheet of rain obscured his sight, the downpour beating upon him hard enough to irritate his bandaged pains.  
  
It had been raining for hours though he had been thoroughly soaked within a few minutes. His hair was plastered to his head, red tendrils framing his pale face as he continuously blinked to keep the water out of his eyes, droplets hanging stubbornly on his lashes. His bare chest felt like it was constricting him as the icy water brought on massive shivers. The pants clung to his skin, doing more harm than good as its cold wetness penetrated his skin, coursing through his body, lowering his body temperature with each passing minute.  
  
Staring blindly at the distant city before him, he rested his head on folded arms, his knees pulled up to keep his balance on the slanted roof, rain water making the tiles slippery though should he slip the small ledge at the end would prevent him from falling seven stories to unrelenting concrete. However, the ledge was only a foot and a half tall; easy to climb onto with little effort, just as it was easy to, once on the ledge, lean forward ever so slightly and let gravity do its work…  
  
Though water ran down his pale face, he could taste the salty bitterness of tears but he didn't bother wipe them. For once he wanted this, to cry. To release years of unworldly bad fate. He cried without sound, but it only made the tears come more as it proved him to be something he had been foolish enough to deny; alone.  
  
'…He will return…as long as I breathe…'  
  
-------begin flashback-------  
  
The door slammed shut behind the doctor, making him flinch from where he laid curled on his bed, back turned to the door. His mind was blank, eyes staring carelessly at the wall opposite him as he ran a finger gingerly over his recently bandaged shoulder where the bone had been set with more force than necessary, leaving a none fading burning between the joints that no amount of rubbing could numb.  
  
His clothes were still in disarray and his skin just starting to bruise, his torn turtle-neck leaving the darkening marks on his neck and shoulders bare for all to see. The slight smudge of crimson on his white pants had already turned brown but he didn't have the strength to change out of his clothes, his body trembling too hard to even rise from the hard mattress.  
  
Outside his door footsteps echoed loudly through the hall, coming to stand before the entrance to his room. Someone spoke and the voice made his breathing hitched. Boris. Wasn't the man through with him yet? Hadn't an entire night been enough for that bastard? The lock clicked and the door was opened, the hall lights spilling into the dark chamber though didn't reach him.  
  
"You've been such a good boy, Tala, so a small reward is in order," Boris' voice said from the door way, sarcasm and a shrewd humor hanging on each word. "What do you say to that?"  
  
Not turning to meet his trainer, Tala swallowed hard to keep the bile down.  
  
"…Thank you, s-sir."  
  
The director said nothing else, the door closed once more though he wasn't alone. Uneven breathing from across the room informed him that his 'reward' was still there.  
  
"Just get it over with," he spat to the person, expecting what he had come to accept after many such 'rewards' from Boris; a high-ranking politician or business man eager to pay hundreds of dollars in exchange for hush-hush sex, sparing the client's reputation in the media world. The extra money flow was used to update the team's beyblades, hence Boris' reference that this was all done as a 'reward' for Tala.  
  
The person said nothing but after a few moments crossed the room until he stood next to the bed though Tala kept his back to him. When the mattress dipped behind him he couldn't stop himself from releasing a hitched sob, turning his head into his pillow. His action spurred the other and a hand ran itself down his cheek, gently turning his head up to face the other but he kept his eyes shut, not wanting to see his soon-to-be assailant's face.  
  
"I'm back."  
  
Years had passed and age had deepened the voice but it was one he easily recognized. His eyes flew open to be greeted by scarlet from above. A teen, tall and built with the stature of adolescence looked down at him through slate-colored bangs. Marked cheeks had lost the roundness of childhood he had last seen years ago but the fingers trailing his own cheeks were as soft and gentle as the first time they had touched.  
  
"K-Kai…?"  
  
Wordlessly, Kai pulled him closer, cradling the red-head against his chest as he rested his head on the flaming hair. Blinking through the tears, he cupped a cheek, now wet with tears, and lifted the head until blue eyes that had haunted him for years.  
  
"I'll never let you go again, Tala. I'll never leave you."  
  
Lowering his head back onto a shoulder, he closed his eyes, freely allowing the tears to run down as he drifted off into peaceful sleep with a soft smile on his face for the first time in ten years.   
  
-------end flashback-------  
  
A trembling, pale hand was lifted to cover his mouth as he swallowed back the rising lump of bitterness in his throat when earlier visions resurfaced in his mind.  
  
_…silent machines surrounding the bed…  
_  
Raising a hand to brush a few straying strands behind his ear, he shuddered, sobbing softly  
  
_…a still body, unmoving and pale…_  
  
He hugged himself tighter, lowering his chin to his chest as he cried.  
  
_…a blader, once a dearest friend, now nothing more than an empty corpse…  
_  
"No more," he said to the wind and rain though didn't elaborate until after a few moments. "I can't take any more. I can't take anymore pain…I can't take anymore lives…"  
  
The edges of the purple blade hurt his hand as he gripped it as he raised it to his face, studying the now empty bit, its former residence having disappeared from existence when its blader had passed on.   
  
'…Because of me…All because of me…'  
  
He could feel the other blade trembling in his other hand, desperate to get his attention, the silver and blue wolf bit beast pounding against its confinements, silently begging him to rethink his actions. But he didn't need to think it through. For once in his life, something made sense.  
  
'…He will return…as long as I breathe…'  
  
Slowly sliding down to the ledge, he looked over the small barrier. Far below the grounds were wet and abandoned though he could still hear them in his head, the voices of children laughing as they battled each others, beyblades spinning loudly in the air. He could still see their shadows, running across the cobble-stone paths as they raced each other inside when the dinner bell rand loudly from the tower, not even the brooding presence of the guards able to dampen their smiles.  
  
It was all a memory now, submerged in swirling rivers of turmoil in his mind and heart, tugging him apart as their strong currents were split and blocked by painful obstacles of beatings and fear. Soon the laugher turned to startled shouts, then pleading cries, then complete silence…  
  
_"Weak… You will never be strong, Tala, because this is what you are destined to be; a whore…a weak failure; not worthy for anything but a bed warmer."  
_  
Placing one foot on the wet concrete, he slowly hoisted himself up, remaining in a precarious crouch on the foot wide ledge as the words taunted him…   
  
_"He's lying, isn't he? Tell me he's lying, Tala!...Did you do this, Tala? Did you sell me out?"  
_  
As the words tore at him…  
  
_"Kai's tough, Tala…He won't let someone like Voltaire get to him. He'll make it out alright."  
_  
As they firmed his resolution…   
  
'Kai will be alright. The moment I am gone, he'll be better than ever…'  
  
Raising tired eyes, he straightened, the wind tugging at his weak body though he resisted for now.  
  
'Looks like I am finally going to keep a promise I made…'  
  
Through the sparse openings in the clouds the stars shone loyally.  
  
'At least I will be able to look over you, Kai…'  
  
The clouds thickened, blocking the dazzling jewels in the inky black sky.  
  
'Ian will help me…He must be lonely up there by himself…'  
  
The wind easily held up his tired arms as he spread them out from his side, tilting his head upwards, allowing the rain water to spray over his delicate features, washing away the tears.  
  
'Thank you, Kai…for giving me a glimpse at true life, as brief as it may have been…'  
  
His bare heels lifted slowly off the cold cement as he allowed his weight to be shifted forward.  
  
'…Thank you, my friend…for seeing me as a person…'  
  
Staring at the skies one last time, he allowed his eyes to fall shut as he allowed his body to fall forward.  
  
'Thank you, Kai…for everything…I'll miss you so much…'  
  
A calm he hadn't felt before washed over him, as if the rain water was rinsing away all pain, shame and filth from his body and mind though his heart remained faithful to those who had offered him more than he had ever deserved.  
  
'…Goodbye…'  
  
-------begin flashback-------  
  
"When I die…I want to die as close to the stars as possible. You know, that way I'll be by my papa as soon as possible, and I can start looking out for you." He looked around the endless stretch of roof. "This is my favorite spot in the world. When I die, I wish it is here…"  
  
Arms pulled him against a warm body, large tears wetting his face when he looked up into the other's face as the bluenette shook his head stubbornly.  
  
"You won't die! Not here, not ever! This is our spot. No matter what, whenever you're here, I will be too. I don't want you with the stars, Tala, I want you here, with me. I don't want you watching over me, I want you watching with me. Beside me. Nothing will ever take you away from me! Not Boris, not the Abbey, not even death; I won't let it!!"  
  
-------end flashback-------  
  
Rain poured down, splattering noisily. Cold wind blew hard, making the metal fence and gates creak loudly. Lightning crackled, flashing amongst the dark clouds threateningly…  
  
Strong arms enveloped him, holding him tenderly.  
  
No roaring of passing wind in his ears. No feeling of gravity tugging his unresisting body down in a plunge. No hard and cold ground breaking every bone in his body. Blinking through the tears and rain, he opened dull eyes…to stare into scarlet.  
  
"Tala?!" Kai asked breathlessly, tightening his grip on the drenched body, holding the red-head close as he felt the coolness on the pale skin. "Tala, say something!"  
  
"Kai…no…" he whispered, raising both hands to push against the other's chest, trying to pull free from the embrace.   
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," the bluenette assured, pulling the smaller body fully into his lap to break any contact between Tala's body and the cold tiles of the roof. "I will never hurt you."  
  
"But I will."  
  
"Tala…"  
  
They sat in silence where Kai held him, the bluenette leaning with his back against the ledge, his slate-colored hair plastered to his face, making him brush away wet bangs as he looked at the red-head cradled in his arms, pale and shaking. He held Tala so close that he could hear the whispered words through the rain.  
  
"I betrayed you…I killed Ian…I don't want to go on like this, Kai."  
  
"Killing yourself is not the answer," he scolded softly, "If I hadn't caught you from falling…If you had died…No pain I've ever felt would have been as bad…"  
  
"The pain would go away--"  
  
"Listen to me!" He grabbed the red-head's chin, resting his forehead against Tala's, staring him straight in the eyes. "It's not that easy, Tala, for none of us. If you had jumped I would have followed right after you. I can't go on without you. Ever since the first day we met I knew that I could never imagine life without you."  
  
He pulled back though Kai refused to release his hold on his upper arms. Staring through the rain, he raised a hand to touch the other's face.  
  
"You were hurt, because of me."  
  
Reflecting the action, Kai cupped his face.  
  
"I'm alive, because of you." Gently brushing a healing bruise on Tala's cheek, he continued, "I will take care of you, Tala, the way you were meant to be; the way I told myself I would when I saw you that cold night over a decade ago. I've been cheated and beaten all my life; you did not contribute anything to that. No matter how bad I was hurt, I refused to give in because I wanted to protect you. If it hadn't been for you, I would have surrendered long ago. You are what kept me alive, Tala."  
  
Sitting before the other boy, he was sent back to the past, to the many times they had sat on this very spot, under these very stars. Sometimes they would be busy bandaging each other's wounds, or one holding the other while they cried, but those were the times he cherished the most. Those were what made everything worth the pain; being with Kai.  
  
"I may have kept you alive, but you gave me life…" he admitted, "and I can't imagine life without you in it."  
  
Through the rain, Kai smiled.  
  
"Then I won't leave. I know I have said this before, and I meant it each time; Tala, I promise you, I won't leave you again."  
  
Studying the bluenette before him, he was silent for a few moments before a soft smile came through the tears as he nodded, wrapping his arms around his friend, resting his head against a shoulder.  
  
"I know you won't, Kai," he whispered in an ear, feeling Kai pull him closer, warming his chilled body. Once again the soothing calm swept over him and he smiled softly into the other teen's chest. "Thank you."  
  
Keeping a firm but painless hold on his friend, Kai rose to his feet, using the ledge for balance as he lead them towards the attic window and out of the rain. Before descending the ladder to where Mr. Dickenson and the policemen who had accompanied them waited, he gave the roof one final glance, childhood recollections bringing a sad smile to his face before he averted his eyes upwards to the sky.  
  
Through the mass clouds the northern star was shining bright…  
  
Tbc…..

---------------------------

I thought I would NEVER reach the end!!! My fingers have gone numb along with my mind!! It's a bit confusing, but I'll leave you guys to piece it together.   
  
Final chapter coming up!!  
  
Read & Review, please.


	25. chapter twentyfive

Title: Resurfacing

Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine

Rating: R

Summary: see chapter one

Warnings: see chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.  
  
A/N: Final chapter!

-----------------------------------------  
  
The cold air now frosted the still wet grounds, covering grass and stone in a light blanket of iciness. The skies were soft grey, sparse clouds non-threatening to the collected crowd garbed in black who stood in silence before flower-adorned casket balanced before the six-foot deep opening in the ground. Everyone listen to the robed priest as he bid the departed a final good-bye, his accented words carried on the wind along with the withering leaves.  
  
It was strange really, to see everyone there. All the teams who were present at the championships now stood around him, faces sullen, mourning the death of a blader they barely knew, affected mainly because they saw how badly it affected the deceased's team. Even the Majestics, who had flown home a week after it had all began, had returned to pay their respects, dressed in expensive and formal attire, standing to his right with all the posture their wealthy upbringing had taught them.   
  
The White Tigers and the All Starz, two teams who had all rights to not attend due to their personal encounters with the Russian bladers, stood solemnly, eyes on the closed coffin. Mariah and Emily stood together, dabbing their eyes constantly with tissue. Ray stood with his former team though the tiger's eyes kept straying past Tyson, Kenny and Max to where his captain stood with the remaining Demolition Boys.   
  
They were believed to be incapable of tears or emotions. Everyone had been proven totally wrong. Upon hearing the news of Ian's passing Spencer had gone in a temporary fit of rage, screaming for his small friend as the medics had to restrain him to the bed. The safe return of Tala had given the large blond some peace of mind yet inevitably the blue eyes were watered as he stood next to Bryan who had fallen into grieving silence since the news had been broken to him. He had welcomed Kai and Tala back with deep embraces but not a word had left the lilac-haired boy's lips. Now supported by crutches, he stared at the sky beyond the cemetery, twin streams of tears streaking his pale face.  
  
The hand he held tightened when the priest finished his speech, bringing Kai's immediate attention to the teen next to him, returning the gesture gently. Blue eyes shifted to meet his and he nodded slightly, leading the way as he stepped forward, bringing Tala along. Spencer and Bryan appeared on either side of them as they now stood lined before the dark wood coffin. At the priest's go-ahead they each placed the rose held in their hands on the lid.  
  
"Your place as team mate and friend will never be replaced," Kai said softly, "Rest in peace, Ian."  
  
And it was over. Closing the Holy Bible, the priest gave the crowd a single nod, ending the service. For many minutes they remained, rethinking the past month's events, evaluating the true value of life which they had recklessly taken advantage of up until now. No one would leave the cemetery the same; this had been a first-hand lesson in the harshness of life. They now understood just how grateful they should be, of themselves and each other.  
  
Finally, the crowd started to break up as they began to file towards the awaiting cars in small groups, talking softly amongst each other though not before offering their condolences once more to the four Russians who accepted it all with simple nods of the heads.   
  
"So what are you going to do now?" Ray asked the bluenette where Kai stood alone, having released Tala so the red-head could be with his remaining team members. "Everyone is going their own ways for a while; Max is going back to America with his mom and the All Starz; Tyson and Kenny are going back to Japan; I told Mariah I would go back with her and the others for a while to China. Maybe you should go with Tyson; I'm sure there's room for one more at his place."  
  
Shaking his head, Kai's eyes drifted over to where the three Russians stood before Ian's coffin once more, Tala and Spencer reciting a Russian prayer while Bryan silently studied the flowers on the dark wood lid.  
  
"They need me," the bluenette spoke up. "Tala needs me as much as I need him."  
  
"So you're staying in Russia?"  
  
Again he shook his head, eyes now straying to where the adults were speaking to the priest nearby. Mr. Dickenson, Bruce and Mr. Granger were discussing matters while Judy and Margaret stood by listening, Margaret saying something softly to another, older woman who was dressed a long, black robe-like dress, her face partially covered by a black beaded veil in respect.  
  
A grandmother. A relative he had never met. Their reunion hadn't come until after he had returned with Tala to the hospital. After making sure his friend was in capable hands and was placed in a bed himself for treatment in the room next to the red-head's he had fallen into blissful sleep only to wake up to find the stranger sitting next to his bed. It had been hard to believe at first but Margaret, treated and able to walk on her own, had entered the room and instantly recognized who he now knew was his grandmother; his truly only living relative.  
  
"We will return," he said, answering Ray's question, "but for now it's too hard to be here. There are too many memories. Bryan had long planned to leave and the doctors say it's best if Tala spends some time away from this country." He finally turned to face his Chinese team mate. "We're going with my grandmother to South America. She invited us all and the guys agreed; she had more than enough space for us all. Margaret is coming too."  
  
"That's a good idea," Ray agreed. "It also gives you a chance to get to know your grandmother better. She's a wonderful person and I know she'll give all of you the support you need." He noted the White Tigers were patiently waiting for him by their ride; their plane was leaving that very night. Smiling softly, the tiger turned back to the bluenette and held out a hand.  
  
"I'll be seeing you around then, buddy."  
  
Kai returned the shake before pulling the other boy into a hug, placing something in the tiger's hand. Ray blinked to find himself staring at the black casing, the golden phoenix as vibrant as ever. Understanding the sentimental value behind the gift, he raised shimmering eyes to the phoenix before him who offered him a faint smile.  
  
"You will, my friend. Thank you."  
  
Releasing the bluenette, Ray turned away with a smile, placing the casing in his coat pocket as his long hair swayed in the cool wind as he walked down the path towards his friends. Tears ran down his face but he smiled; Kai will be fine and he knew they would all be together once more in the not so distant future.  
  
Kai watched until the car carrying the White Tigers pulled away, turning down the corner and out of view. The other teams had already left, going back to their hotel where they would remain until their own respective flights. The adults too began for their cars though two stayed behind, walking towards him instead.  
  
"How are you and your friends holding up, Kai?" Margaret asked, brushing loose strands of brown-grey hair behind her ears.  
  
"Are you sure you want to come?" he asked instead. "What about your earlier job? Your life here in Russia?"  
  
She waved it away.   
  
"There is nothing for me here. Madame Anne-Marie has offered me employment in her home and it is a task I will gladly take up once more. Besides," she ran a hand down his face gently, "I can't find it in me to let you out of my sight just yet."  
  
He smiled before wrapping an arm around the slender body of his grandmother as she pulled him into a loose embrace. Something about being held by her made him feel as if he was in his mother's arms once more even though he was taller than the elderly woman by an inch or two. The three stood in comfortable silence as the Russian words stopped as the prayer had ended. Tala, holding Spencer by the arm though the blond's sight had been moderately repaired, led them slowly back. Once reaching them, the red-head released Spencer to step into Kai's arms as the bluenette pulled him into a tight hug.  
  
"Do you think you are ready to let go?" Kai whispered softly.  
  
"Let go, but not forget," Tala responded, his head remaining on a black-clothed shoulder.  
  
"Never forget," he affirmed, raising his eyes to the rest. Margaret had taken Tala's place next to Spencer; she had immediately taken the Russian team in, looking over them during their stay at the hospital. Anne-Marie was speaking to Bryan in soft words Kai couldn't hear though the lilac-haired blader nodded as she spoke; the two had formed a strong bond as, like the team, Anne-Marie had easily seen past the Falborg blader's false coldness upon first glance.   
  
It was over. They had won the grueling battle with fate, though with great sacrifices. Five had entered the fight, only four walked away, and not unscathed. A group of friends who had gone through more than a decade of darkness only to have one of them answer the beckoning light at the end of the tunnel while the others still wandered about in shadows; they were still lost, but they were together. Nothing could ever erase their pasts and memories, but hopefully, as they kept on winning back lost ground, their futures could be brightened.  
  
Stepping back, he motioned to the others and they followed as he led the way down the path towards the metal entrance. He didn't look back. None of them did. They didn't have to see it to believe it. Ian may be gone, but he was still with them.   
  
"Which star do you think he's with?" Tala asked softly where he leaned against his best friend's side.  
  
"I don't know," Kai admitted, "but they say it's going to be a clear sky tonight. We can look for him from the hotel's roof if you want."  
  
The red-head nodded, smiling sadly. "Do you think he's happy there?"  
  
Before he could answer a soft voice spoke up from behind them.  
  
"At least he's finally able to be the one looking down on any of us."  
  
They all turned surprised eyes on Bryan who was studying the sky above him, a ghost of his trademark smile/smirk on his face. He returned their stares calmly.  
  
"He always wondered what it would be like to be taller than us."  
  
The observation brought a smile to all their faces.   
  
The healing had already begun…

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--------THE END-------  
  
--------------------------

Oh. My. God.   
  
It's done. It took me more than a year, but I have finally felt that satisfaction of writing the last sentence of this fic. Many thanks to all those who reviewed and encouraged me. The one thing that drives a writer to keep going is the support she receives from her readers.  
  
Onto Crimson's Child!  
  
Namarie,  
Ladya C. Maxine


End file.
